February 7, 2020 – Catching Up

Be careful what you wish for!!!!!

Well, its been a while since I last wrote. Our time in Virginia is quite different than last year. The hubs was almost always working out of our fifth wheel which meant I could take the truck and go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted. Here in Virginia, he is driving to an office everyday, Monday through Friday. It’s cramping my style a bit… (Ed. Note – You were warned!!!) If I want to go anywhere it has to be planned out so I can drive him to work (45 minutes), do my thing, then drive to pick him up from work (45 minutes). It’s working out fine but it is taking some adjustments on both our parts. I mean, I’m sure he’d rather be here working in his sweats but on the other hand, it does get him out of earshot from me.😊 (Ed. Note – So, so true!!!!) My deal is that sometimes I don’t want to plan which day I may want the truck and there is no spur of the moment Icee runs or anything like that! (Ed. Note – Well, it is just a short walk to Wawa so… I think that’s kinda on you!!!!) I did put the Uber and Lyft apps on my phone but haven’t used them yet. There is shopping close by and a yarn shop but I’m still a little hesitant. I mean, I was brought up with both my mom and grandmother telling things like, “Don’t go out by yourself after dark”, “Don’t park in parking garages”, and the biggee, “Don’t get in cars with strangers”! But that’s what Uber and Lyft are, right?! Getting in a car with a stranger. I’m a big girl now, so should be able to move past this but haven’t quite been ready to.

How can you not be a tourist when you’re this close to history?!?!?!?!?

Anyway, since the last time I wrote (mid-January) we’ve been pretty busy.  The hubs and I took our first trip to Washington on the metro to visit the Museum of American History.  It was fun!  Riding the metro was a new experience (for me) and it was easy.  Of course, it was a Sunday and not even kinda crowded, so I didn’t feel rushed to get through the turnstile or get to the platform.  I even did a little knitting! Definitely a good way to travel!

We only had a couple of blocks to walk to get to the museum.  We wandered around the first floor which was technology and inventions – not my favorite, so went to the second floor.  It was very interesting!  I loved reading about the start of our country.  Many things I had forgotten from my early history in school.  Only the Native Americans were here until they began being invaded by the French and the Spanish and finally, the British.  Except for those Native Americans, we are all immigrants to this great country – I believe this is something many of us have forgotten through the years.  There was an entire section on voting, voting rights, and the importance of voting.  There was so much to read that it took us several hours just to get through the second floor!  By then we were hungry and tired.  The great thing about living so close to D.C. is that we didn’t feel that we had to complete the entire museum in one day!  We left and had lunch at b Penn Quarter – Burgers, Beer & Bourbon, a couple of blocks down on Pennsylvania Avenue.  It was DELISH!  One of the best burgers I’ve ever had!  After that, went back to the metro and home. (Ed. Note – It was very tasty!!!!)

So, no more complaining?!?!?!?!

I’ve been over to visit Karen every week.  She took me over to Bethesda/Walter Reed one week.  Her husband works there and she is receiving treatment there.  I felt like we were extra special since she knows all the ins and outs and back ways to get to different departments.  With my navigation skills, it was like a big maze and I was glad to have a great guide 😊!

Hmmm, that didn’t go well!!!

This past week, I visited a yarn shop about 20 minutes away and tucked into this small town called Warrenton.  It was in the old downtown section in a building that housed several other businesses.  I had to park on the street and look for the address before I found the shop.  I went in and browsed.  There was some nice yarn and a small section with chairs but the overall effect was a little cold and not particularly friendly.  It may have just been an off day but not a place I’m planning on revisiting.

Now this is more like it!!!!!

When I left there, I stopped by Needles in the Haymarket.  It was the first Tuesday and I knew that was SALE day!! (Ed. Note – Of course you did!!!!)  I found two skeins of yarn hoping they would work on my Breathing Space sweater.  I purchased those and a skein to knit a hat for my oldest.  I’ve been tackling the sweater and the two skeins are blending well however, I’m having to knit a couple of stitches with each skein on every row.  I was hoping to do a row in one color and the next with the second color but there is too much distinction between the two for that.  I’m just so ready to be done with it!  I have needles sticking out of both sleeves and the bottom with tiny balls of yarn sticking onto them.  I had separated the yarn, hoping to have enough to finish.  It’s an ordeal just getting the thing on and off my lap!  I’m hoping to have a finished picture of it for you by next weekend.  Keep your fingers crossed!!