A journey home...

---

Long blog warning!

After a busy day of running yesterday, I decided it was time to drive home. I had finally accomplished everything I needed to so I could go, and was eager to get here. So I packed up Ginger and headed for DC.

First of all, Ginger tried to commit kitty suicide. We're driving down 96 and she decides to explore the car. She pushed the back window button and it rolled down, and here's the 7 pound cat peeking out the wide open window! Didn't know she hated moving that much.

The drive was long, and all of Pennsylvania seemed to be under construction. It is summer, I should have expected it, but the second I crossed the Maryland state line, the roads were perfect and there wasn't even shoulder work anywhere. Ginger finally settled down in the passenger seat and relaxed for the rest of the trip.

We rolled into Virginia around 1 AM, and made it to the apartment at 1:30, met at the door by Jerry. He and I had been sniping at each other on the phone LOL, since he kept trying to give me directions that didn't match the ones I'd gotten from yahoo. Actually, it was more him laughing at me and me sniping. "Where are you?" "I'm around the corner!" "Where is around the corner?" "Just trust me. I'm around the corner."

Anyhow, we loaded all my stuff onto a baggage cart and headed to the top floor of our building. I live on the top floor! And our apartment is beautiful. The carpets are soft, the bed is amazing, Ginger has her own room. It's very nicely furnished, and has tons of closet space. I think I can live here for the next year or two. *grin* Not a very eventful trip down here. After that I crashed out, and woke up late this morning.

The view is beautiful if you look in the distance. You can see the Pentagon and the AF Memorial. The problem with being in a tall building is you can see the ugly roofs of the shorter ones.

I figured Ginger would hide under one of the beds for a few days, but I'm in absolute shock. She's wandering around, playing queen of the castle. She's spent a lot of time sleeping at the end of the bed, has claimed the chair in the living room, and watches the cars below from the window. Guess she's just a city cat!

I've been trying to figure out what to do. Jerry forgot to leave me a key, so I'm kind of stuck here. Actually, chances are he left a key, but it's someplace I haven't looked. And I quite obviously can't get hold of him. Though he may have done it on purpose, figuring I'd get myself lost and never make it home. It's not like I'd actually venture outside! But come on, tease me with Starbucks and then make it inaccessable? Just plain mean, I tell you.

This is going to sound unbelievably whiny, but here goes. It is difficult realizing your only job is to make the bed, do the laundry, load the dishwasher, and look pretty. And to be socially aware and DC stylish LOL. I have spent my entire life working, ever since I was 15. Pizza places, dental offices, answering phones, dealing with idiots. At one point I can remember going to school at 7 in the morning and working until 10 or 11 at night. Every day. Working two jobs, finishing term papers five minutes before class.

So this morning, I got up, made the bed, picked up the bathroom, put the dishes in the dishwasher. I was unpacking, getting ready to do the "look pretty" part of my job, when the doorbell rang. So I peeked through my peephole (thank goodness the apartment company realized some people are short) and it was the maid. I opened the door for her in my penguin jammies and messy hair. The look on her face was priceless! Washington socialite lesson #1: Never open the apartment door while in penguin jammies. Must be perpetually prepared for anyone and anything.

So she cleaned, and she was a sweetie! Didn't speak much English, but I speak okay Spanish, so I did manage to tell her the guest bed hadn't been used and that I'd just moved in. And I, after some fumbling, did remember how to say laundry soap. And realized she was joking about the number of shoes I have as I unpacked them and hunted for closet space. I'll be going to Ikea to find the perfect shoe storage here very shortly.

---