This past Saturday I got to ride a new horse named King. He's pretty tall - not as tall as George but almost. He rides like a dream. Cammie was out Saturday so we had a sub and she taught us how to canter. It was awesome! I didn't quite understand the first go around. You start with a sitting trot and then use your outside leg to nudge. On the second try I got it and was grinning from ear to ear. It was just the absolute coolest feeling. After cantering, we moved on to serpentine jumps over the trot poles at a trot. Four sets of trot polls zig zagged and you are basically doing figure eights over them. This was also cool. Up until now the most we have done has been two sets of trot polls and they are usually spaced at ½ ring distance so you only go in one circle. You aren’t really focusing on your steering, spacing and lining up. Towards the end of the class, the instructor asked if we wanted to cantor or not for the last exercise. I thought she meant canter over the trot poles and even though I was scared to death, off I went. Well, it turned out that she meant canter around the ring, not over the trot poles. Oops. I guess I gave her a little scare :) It was a particularly awesome class. I hope I get to ride King again and I can’t wait til we start cantering over the jumps. Awesome!

 

In the afternoon, Doug and I went back to a little boutique in Old Town to return some fabric swatches. Almost since the time Doug and I started dating, we have been looking for fabric to reupholster my Aunt Lottie's sofa, Aunt Lil's lady's chair and the wing backed man's chair I purchased at an antique fair here in Virginia the first time I lived here. Doug and I looked at fabric when we were in CA but we could not agree on anything. We looked again when we moved back to VA in 2004 but to no avail. Then, about three weeks ago, I was in a little store in Old Town across from the Silver Parrot (one of my favorite little jewelry stores in Old Town) and saw this really stunning sofa\chair combo. I asked about the fabric and Olivia (the resident decorator) offered to lend me some swatches to take back home to see what Doug thought. Well, when I got the swatches back, Doug and I really liked one of them but the other not so much. So back we both went to the store - came home again with some recommendations and we decided on the sofa and man's chair fabric but couldn't quite agree on the lady's chair. Saturday afternoon, back we went and found the perfect fabric. Now, we just have to get everything reupholstered. It is a little of a surprise because we hadn't budgeted that in - we wanted to redo the kitchen and paint the interior of the house this fall. It will take some creative budgeting on my part to sort this all out. I digress however. After sorting out the fabric and such, we went off to The Chart House to meet Kara, Steve and Steve's mom and dad. They were in Alexandria on Saturday for a wedding on the Cherry Blossom. Steve was going to marry a couple! Steve just got his captain's license - how cool is that?! Before they shoved off though, we wanted to meet for a quick drink or two. We started at The Chart House - where we got to meet a couple that has been married for 65 years!! I think the husband tried to pick Kara up ;) After the Chart House, we meandered a little through Old Town to O'Connel's, Old Town's newest Irish Pub. We had another drink but then it was time for them to go. So we walked back to the dock and saw them board the boat.

 

A quick stop back to The Silver Parrot for me - I had to pick up some jewelry that I had taken in to be repaired. The peridot necklace that Doug bought me last year had a loose link. While we were picking it up - I found another really cool necklace set. That store is dangerous to me - there is always something new and pretty.

 

After the Silver Parrot, it was still early but we weren't hungry and it was just beginning to rain so Doug and I went to see a movie. We hadn't planned on one but when we got the theatre, Doug picked Click - the one with Adam Sandler in it. Interesting movie. After the movie, we went to Bilbo Baggins restaurant. They always have good food but a weird wait staff. I also recommend the place for the bizillion different beers that they have. As well as the fact that it's the only place I've been outside of Belgium where they actually have the right glass dependant on the beer you order. There was the weirdest couple sitting next to us. It was a couple where the lady was obviously pregnant and then another guy. Well, towards the end of the dinner the father went off on this rant about how when the lady was in the hospital she wasn’t going to be a defendant – she was going to be a patient and nothing was going to happen that she didn’t want to happen (to myself I was thinking – yeah right dude! Not really – how is she supposed to control labor – it just happens – the mom doesn’t really have a say). The guy ranted for like ten – fifteen minutes. The whole time, the lady not saying anything and the other guy looking like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was. Plus, we think maybe the father was a lawyer because he kept saying she wouldn’t be a defendant but a patient. I think maybe he smoked to much wacky tobacky or had one to many drinks…. Totally bizarre.

 

This morning we tried out a new breakfast spot called Jack's - it was okay. Very tiny, neighborhood feel. No waiters, you just give  your order behind the counter and then when it's ready - the person sitting at the counter hands it over to you. I liked the ambience. Not the best food though - we are still in search of the perfect breakfast joint. I really miss The Sugar Shack in San Clemente. After breakfast we went to Target to buy Doug his gas grill. Yes - me Bethany purchased for my husband a gas grill. I'm still keeping my charcoal weber though - I think charcoal is the best.

 

It's been raining like cats and dogs out here. The other day our sump pump went out. Talk about freaked out. I'm slightly ticked because we had it replaced last spring. They are supposed to last like eight to ten years. Anything having to do with water always causes me concern. I guess that's what happens when you live three blocks from the Potomac and have a creek running past your house. I'm always worried about flooding. I must be the only person who can't get to sleep unless the pump IS running and making its noise. I find it soothing :) Anyways, I hope we get some drying out time. Everything is growing like gang busters which is nice because everything looks very lush. However, at the same time, all the weeds are growing too :)

 

Doug and I have also been talking about getting another dog. We both really miss Gulliver. The house seems so empty without him. We would like to get an English Bull Dog but I’m concerned because they aren't free breeders or whelpers. How can that possibly be healthy? Doug says I worry to much. Pretty much all the breeds we like have problems with whelping and require c-sections. We like the French bull dog, Boston terrier and Pugs. That's for the small dogs which we are trying to stay with. Personally, I would love to have a Neapolitan Mastiff or my absolute ideal would be an Irish Wolfhound. Can you say "extra large vet and food bill" though? So, we keep flipping ideas around.

 

Nothing else to interesting going on. It's been nice having Doug on a little school break til after the 4th. His Gettysburg trip sounded like a success. Work has been occupying both of us as well. Hopefully, my project will end (if i keep to the schedule) July 14th. I've already re baselined once before (the project was supposed to end June 30th but we found some bugs and had to extend testing) so I have to make this happen. Then, my schedule should return to a normal 40 work week. That's the thought anyways :) I have taken a break from my school until mid August but can't wait to get back to it. 

 

Anyways, that's it for now - I'm going to see if Doug and I can't put the gas grill together. :)  and then we are off to try a new pub\restaurant that supposedly has 42 beers ON TAP! Will post more later

 

So - haven't kept up with the blog since before Memorial Day. Doug's Mom and Dad came out to visit. They arrived Saturday evening and we had dinner at our house. On Sunday, Doug went with his Dad to his Dad's church in McLean and I went with Doug's Mom to St. Mary's in Old Town. After church, we all met back at the house and headed off to the Army & Navy Club in DC. Doug LOVES going there and on Sunday's they have a nice brunch. After brunch, Doug took his Mom and Dad down to Quantico to check out the new candidates that came on deck. Summer is a very busy season at Officer Candidate Schoo!

 

One of our neighbors had invited Doug and I over for a bbq and when Conrad and Lesley found out Doug's parents were visiting, they were invited too. So off we went down the block. It was a fun evening hanging out with some of our neighbors.

 

Monday morning, Doug had to go check in at work (yes, even on Memorial Day. They work on 4th of July too) so I took Doug's Mom and Dad down to Old Town to check out the replica of the GodSpeed - one of three boats that brought the first European settlers to America. I was a bit disappointed. The advertisements led one to believe that there would be quite a bit of historical information. So, we were very surprised that after waiting in line for 90 minutes, we finally boarded the ship only to be led off in like five minutes. I kid you not! We boarded to the stearn of the boat, our guide spoke for a minute. Then we were led to the bow, our guide spoke for a minute. Then we were led off. The only saving grace to the whole event was we met a very nice couple in the line that we ended up speaking with for the whole time. After we got off the boat, we went to explore the supporting tents to the event but it seemed to be mostly tourism bureaus. Quite disappointing. By the time we were done, so was Doug and so we met back at the house where we spent the afternoon talking. Monday night, Doug's Mom and Dad treated us to dinner at Mt. Vernon Inn. This is the Inn right next to George Washington's house.

 

Tuesday, Doug and I headed off to work and Doug's Mom and Dad went to explore a bit more before catching their plane back to Seattle.

 

The following weekend, Doug had school and then Saturday night caught up with some of his Rugby buddies on a pub crawl. Sunday I made breakfast for the guys that crashed at our house and then Doug and I went off to a picnic for his classmates. It was fun meeting all the people and putting faces to names.

 

This past weekend, Doug had to work on Saturday while I went to my riding class. Sunday we ran errands and hung out around the house.

 

Now you are all caught up!