The Freckled Diaries

A Quandary

What are our moral obligations toward creatures who appear to be in need of our help but in no way want it, even flee from it?

This is the dilemma I faced about an hour ago when I was out in the alley taking my trash out (a day late...it feels like a Sunday to this federal worker). Just as I turned to return home, a black cat came scurrying around the corner, and froze, looking at me with that feline look that plainly states "I've only stopped to assess the situation, if you so much as blink I am SO out of here and you'll never catch me". You know, the one you get when you're just a little more than an arm's reach away from your cat when you both know full well why the cat carrier is out. 

Ours is not a town of stray cats. Or really of domestic but allowed outside cats. It's simply not done. Seeing a cat out of doors is pretty rare around here, and chances are that it belongs to someone, and it belongs inside. It was 27 degrees outside and this poor kitty, whether he knew it or not, was ill-equipped to spend the night outside. I did my best to appear non-threatening, I made little "here kitty" type noises, but it kept eyeing me with suspicion and was clearly ready to bolt at any second, which is exactly what it did as soon as I bent my knees. It ran off in the direction of a neighbor's woodpile and probably disappeared in the recesses of it, or under a fence into any one of the backyards along the alley. 

I, dressed only in long underwear, an overcoat and slippers (it was supposed to be a quick run into the alley), was already half frozen and decided that any attempts to chase down the beast would most certainly not work and would only make the cat hide itself better (making it get more lost), further frighten the poor creature (making its willingness to emerge decline) and further freeze my own extremities. I went back inside to get some cat food and a ratty old sweater I placed in a shopping bag thinking maybe it would make itself a semi warm and protected home in there over the course of the evening. 

Once back in the alley, I heard some sort of yelling coming from somewhere within a block or two. It could have been someone calling out a cat's name, or it could have been an unsavory drunk/crazy person. I couldn't tell. Having been a relatively recent victim of crime, I'm kind of skittish late at night. Normally, I'd follow the voice and offer to help but not anymore. Instead, I said as loudly as I dared (but not likely loud enough to be heard by the caller) "is that someone looking for a cat?". When no reply came, I left the food and the makeshift shelter near the woodpile and reluctantly went back inside, feeling a little guilty and hoping that if either of my helpless beasts ever gets out again, their only hope for rescue will be a little more tenacious than me. 

Good luck little guy.

Proof

It was pretty drastic (for us, at least)...but exciting!

 

Reality

So my YAY ITS SNOWING chipper self is gone and I'm back at work into the land of Dec 31st spending deadlines (which is Federal Government code for "hurry up and finish your shit now or we'll lose that money out of the budget for next year") and the mayhem that is the US Senate.

Or, not really mayhem. That makes it sound fun and interesting.  Into the......I don't know. I'm too tired to come up with the right word. But the kind of place where you figure out when (and if) you'll get something resembling a Christmas break through rumors and whispers about floor schedules and planned (or threatened) parliamentary procedures. 

Well thank you, Senator Scrooge. 8pm on Christmas Eve sounds like a swell time to hold a vote on a major piece of legislation. Most of us didn't have plans anyway, you know.

(Cue video up to 4:28)

 

I'm being overly dramatic. I personally don't have to go in on Christmas Eve so it could be worse. But the rough schedule was "out at 1pm on the 23rd unless the Senate is in session". So, like an idiot who ought to know better, I planned on being out at 1pm on the 23d. Doctor's appointment, Christmas shopping, time to pack and maybe even going home that night. No more.

Grumble grumble grumble.

Snowpocalypse 2009

So I'm still catching up. Here's what we did yesterday....

Penny wonders what on Earth is happening out there. 

 

The view from the front door, 8am.  It's laughably little snow compared to what eventually fell but it seemed huge at the time (next picture is from today, just to demonstrate what all the cars wound up looking like)

(more about how we got the car out later)....

Back to Saturday. After a breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast we decided to head out into the storm to see how things were going and what was open. We also wanted movies and wine and sugary snacks.

Here's us embarking on the voyage (and loving every second of it)

 

 
 

First stop: Video Vault, conveniently located about 150 yards from my house. (PS if you actually visit their site, yes it is a crazy crazy place but they do also have regular movies and new releases--their focus is the more....  obscure genre films though. Makes me love this town even more that that's our only video store!)

 

What to get?!

Back out and around town, off to the Convenience Store of Requirement (I call it that because anything you can think of, they have. Always. And the place is tiny but I swear they have never let me down (fresh limes, goat cheese, minced clams...on separate occasions). Snapped a few photos along King Street.

 

 
 

 Alright, I officially give up. Uploading is a pain. Check out this link if you're interested (which you should be. This shit only happens like twice in a lifetime in DC).

Snow Video

Alright, so it's not ALL about the snow and you'll have to endure about a minute of me cooing over Penny, but it does show a bit of my apartment all Christmassy, the very beginnings of the snow (pictures from today to be posted eventually), my sweet cat, and some very amusing snowball throwing drunks.  Good god I love this town.

Oh, and to clarify (because a friend on Facebook already expressed concern)...he told me to go put some pants on because I was still in my dress and nylons from earlier in the evening--not because I ran out there in boxers or PJs (I stopped doing that when I moved this far up the street--down by the river there was far less auto and foot traffic and fewer neighbors, all of whom treated the street like an extension of their living rooms, too).

Let It Snow!

 

 

So, we're having a major snow event. Like, not only "major-for-DC" (which is anything more than 6 inches....or 4 inches), but major, like major outside of ski resorts. 16-24+ inches expected.

I couldn't be happier if I tried. I freaking love snow, I love snowstorms, I love being snowed in, I love it all. It's the best thing ever. I seriously can't think of any better way to spend a day than watching the snow outside, while staying all warm and cozy (preferably with a fire in the fireplace) eating grilled cheese and tomato soup, watching old movies with whatever company happens to be snowbound with you (at the moment it's my kitties and my cousin Rebecca).

We knew this was coming--all but the most skeptical of us knew that we could get up to a foot of snow, maybe more (the totals, you see, have been seriously upped), starting about Wednesday. I mean, we knew about it starting Wednesday, the snow was meant to start last night, get serious at 2am-ish and continue all Saturday into Sunday.  

I was out at Bistrot Lafayette  last night for dinner and showtunes/ Christmas carol singalong at the piano bar upstairs. This time, I went with a group of librarian friends (all of us with quite impressive credentials, as we realized last night--me in the Senate, one at the Supreme Court, one at the US Institute for Peace and two at the Securities and Exchange Commission). We were also joined by my friend Erin and her friend Allison. It was like a scene from a movie--upstairs in this old building, a cozy bar, piano, elderly and spunky pianist, several "confirmed old bachelors" and us, singing away while snow gently fell past fairy-lit trees onto the brick streets outside. Lest you think it was all "O Holy Night", I must say that these guys can make anything raucous. I would pay good money to see our "12 Days of Christmas", each person getting their own "day" to sing, with instructions to act it out. I (of course, just my luck) got #6--geese a laying. #2 declined to sing, but rather flapped his wings and made some bizarre dove-like sound with increasing desperation each round, so much so that #1 was usually unable to chime in because he was laughing so hard. #10 (lords a' leaping) was also particularly hysterical and very nearly resulted in injury. It was as grand a time as was ever had there.

By the time we had to leave (early, at midnight due to snow), there was already a good 2 or 3 inches of snow on the ground. I attempted to ride a bit on the sidewalks but the Uneven Bricks of Death are even worse when obscured by snow---and we get heavy, wet snow that is super slippery. The bike made a fishtail, and I jumped off. Wasn't going to risk it for just a 5 block trip. I did get some good pictures along the way, though.

Poor choice in footwear for the evening. 

 

The Amsterdam, the Old Town Theater, Snow, Fairy-lit trees on King Street. What's better?

 

Me and the Amsterdam, home from our journey. It was brought indoors for the evening due to the snowstorm. Check out my wreathes! (And, random fashion insert--I love how that dress is about the same length as the coat--must remember that combo in future!)

I have (what I think is) a funny little video from later in the evening, when I went out to get some video of the cat in the window. Will work on it and post later!

 
  
 
 

Reunited!

You can't tell but she's purring up a mighty storm in this photo. I've been away since Saturday in (or on my way to/from) South Bend, Indiana for my grandmother's funeral. 

Now, before I come off as heartless or something for not being terribly broken up about my grandmother, you have to understand that I am one of many grandchildren and the combination of the hundreds of miles of distance between us and her general antipathy toward children (yes, even though or maybe because she had nine of her own) we were never really close. I was there to pay my respects, to support my mother and to see some far-flung family members for the first time in a long time. That's just kind of how it is, and I wish the whole grandparent thing had worked out better (I never really knew any of mine--one because of estrangement, one because of an early death, one because of an early decline into Alzheimer's and one because of....her) but it didn't. So that's why I don't sound like someone who just lost a grandmother.

Anyway, because I'm generally Not A Fan of air travel (for many and varied reasons, the major two being death and destruction, followed closely by how much of a freaking hassle it is), I decided to take the train. The Capitol Limited is a train route run by Amtrak between Washington DC and Chicago, with stops at some major towns/cities (including South Bend) along the way. It leaves DC shortly after 4pm and arrives in Chicago shortly before 9am the following day. The return leaves Chicago a little before 8pm and arrives in DC at about 1pm the following day. Always looking to try something new and intrigued by the prospect of two full nights of sleep in the same week (there and back), and having noted that even first class accommodations (a sleeper car) were competitively priced with last-minute air travel, I decided to give it a whirl.

I don't know why people travel any other way. I cannot say enough nice things about Amtrak and the service. I snapped a few photos, I don't know how well they turned out though. Basically, with the sleeper car (an extra charge on top of your VERY reasonably priced ticket), you get a little private room with two (very large and comfey) airplane-style chairs facing each other. Those chairs can be pulled out to make a twin sized bed at night time. There's also a pull-down bed from overhead that makes the second bunk (if you're traveling in a pair--if not, you get your choice of bed!). You also have all meals included--and these are real meals, ordered from a menu complete with daily specials while sitting at a table with REAL silverware (none of this plastic crap) and tablecloth. In both directions I got the herb roasted half of a chicken with mashed potatoes because I've been on a real big roast chicken kick these days. You get a salad and dessert as well. Breakfast is also quite nice with lots of choices, made to order. Just lovely. The sleeper car attendant takes down what time you want your bed put together and takes care of all that. On the way there, I chose the top bunk, on the way back, the bottom. I think the bottom was all-around better and more comfortable but who can resist the top bunk?

I loaded up my iPod with Season 3 of Battlestar Galactica (yes, yes, I know) and just kind of relaxed. I got to bed early both nights, and woke up having slept for 8 or more hours feeling like a new person. It was great.

 

Entering my little sleeping area.

 
 Top bunk!

The funeral proceedings itself were simple but nice, and even though the circumstances were sad, the family was happy to be together again. It's always good to see them and every time I do, I resolve to get out to Indiana, Nebraska or Idaho (where they all live) more often.

 

Finals are Upon Us

Well, they have been for a week now, but I'm just now getting to that "haven't slept, feel like vomiting" stage. What's frustrating is that I've gotten really good at this school thing. I could do finals easily under any other circumstances. But now I've got work and a Huge Scary Deadline for work to deal with, and the Official Job Hunt (this one is still not a permanent job even if they did just renew my contract until May and gave me another unasked for massive raise). Oh, and the fact I've been doing the school and work thing for 12 months now, without a break, and I'm exhausted. And I added extra-curricular activities (dance, karate, Irish parade stuff) every night of the week. How I long for those days as an undergrad when all I had to worry about was finals for four classes!

Anyway. Wish me luck.

Crazy Neighbors

If I were in my upstairs neighbor's shoes, I'd think that that girl downstairs is absolutely nuts (but hopefully an endearing kind of nuts).

We don't see each other often, but almost every time we have, I've been a total spaz. I was so frazzled when I first moved in here (because of the nature of my having to leave the old apartment, the move itself and then the whole "hole in the kitchen floor/non-working refrigerator/ too big of a replacement refrigerator" issue. I went up to introduce myself anyway, which (having gotten to "know" him a bit more) is just not the kind of guy he is. I've needed to talk to him about a few issues here and there (a major one being that every time he would shower, it would drain into my bathroom), but he's tough to track down. Often, I just wait until I hear him coming down the fire escape (his backyard/parking area access) and run out to catch up with him. He always seems surprised and flustered to see me, and I'm usually keeping him from being someplace and it's usually over some stupid issue that he really doesn't care about anyway (he was concerned about the shower though).

I know he hears me talk to/argue with the kitties, because I can hear him talking on the telephone. I know he can hear me singing to myself because I can hear him singing to HIMself. In my defense, I didn't start singing until I knew he was the singing type too. Incidentally,my favorite thing about him is the singing--he comes home just about every night with a different song. The other night it was "I've Never Been In Love Before" from Guys and Dolls. Sigh. I almost started singing along but that would have been weird even for me. Anyway....what else? I've set off smoke alarms at 4am (Inauguration Day--we had a 5:30am water taxi and knew we'd need a big, hot breakfast), climbed up the fire escape mildly intoxicated, in my pajamas, with a broken foot at 2am to retrieve a feline escapee, frequently use foul language at high volume when stuck in an endless automated telephone customer service ("I SAID SPEAK WITH A [blank]ING AGENT YOU PIECE OF [blank] ROBOT") and frequently have all the trappings for hand-laundry (basin, washboard, wringer and huge drying rack) set up outside.

The bikes this summer and fall probably didn't really register. But it's winter now. He saw me ride up at some point during my back-and-forth on Saturday (during the "snowstorm") and actually exclaimed "yikes!", and then told me I should be careful riding in this. Tonight, about an hour ago (on my way home from the Metro--had the bike with me on Metro because I rode it in but had dance class on the Hill until late and I don't do the trail alone after 10), I whizzed by him about a block from our house. It's a short ride from the Metro so I hadn't put on the pants I've been wearing under dresses. So I was flying by him he all bundled up, me almost bare legged (I have on nylons) in 32 degree weather. I could be imagining it but I thought I perceived a little shake of the head when I looked over my shoulder to check for cars before entering the intersection.

I hope, at least, that he finds me amusing.

Lessons Learned

I learned a lot today.

(1) People WILL steal your bike helmet (and rear light, and purposefully break your front generator light). I'd always figured that you can't force people to wear helmets, so why would they steal the singular lest cool thing in existence?

(2) Higher end bike helmets have sizing charts and can be ordered online.

(3) I have an absurdly large head.

About the theft/vandalism: I left it parked at the Metro overnight, which I knew was a risk but I'd never done it before and figured "how unlucky can I get". Heh. I hate people.  I'm not upset about the helmet (I have another, and it was nothing special and I like having an excuse to get one I like), or the rear light (it wasn't expensive), but I'm just more upset that it happened. I mean--what the hell? There's no resale value for them--this was just done to be a jerk. I AM upset about the front light. I really hope it can be fixed--it's built in on the Amsterdam and is one of the features I like the most about it (it's so pretty!). I'll be hugely disappointed if I have to swap it with some ugly one.

Bastards.