Getting Settled.

I just need to start by saying, holy cow it is windy! There are gusts up to 50 mph in the DC area, and luckily no snow. But my goodness, this wind is something fierce and many trees and porch furnishings are proving to be unworthy opponents.

At last, all of my boxes have arrived and so has my car! Picking up my car was an adventure in traveling through DC and Virginia at 7am via the metro and a cab to get to a town called Annandale where I had to meet the driver. I then joined countless other commuters sitting in traffic as they made their way into DC for work. On the plus side, it gave me a chance to explore the radio stations and program in the ones I liked.

My place continues to come along and look a little more home-y each day. Right now I'm kind of at a stopping point with unpacking, as I don't have much furniture and therefore nowhere to put things when I unpack them. I need a dresser for my bedroom, some more bookshelves/tables for DVDs, books, etc. and some shelves for the walls. So until I make another Ikea trip, I'll be forced to continue living out of my suitcase and boxes.

Strangely enough, I think the kitchen has become my favorite room. I find myself spending most of my time there, just lounging on my bar stool at the counter either eating or Skyping or now, blogging. I just think it's a little ironic turn of events that the room I traditionally use the least has become the space that I spend the most time in. I learned how to make coffee today, thanks to Jessica, who brought over coffee and sugar and cream for our coffee date. Yes, previous to today, I'd never actually made a pot of coffee in my life. But I'm a changed woman and there are all sorts of new horizons opening up to me, and making my own coffee is one of them :)

I'm still getting used to the little noises that my apartment makes normally. The radiators, the water heater in the back, the normal cricks and creaks and hums that any place has are still new and not totally familiar to me yet. I also am getting used to having a family with a 3 year old and a dog live upstairs. If they're on the bottom floor of their house, aka the level right above my ceiling, I can always tell where in the house they are and sometimes even what they're doing based on the noise produced. It's comforting though, knowing that even though I live by myself, there are people close by me; it makes me feel not quite so alone. It's also nice having their dog upstairs, as she's proven to be an effective guard dog, barking her head off at the poor mailmen and Comcast technician who mistakenly go upstairs instead of coming down to my door. Not that I'm really even consciously worried about any intruders, but it does provide a little sense of relief that there's a built in "intruder alert" upstairs. On the flip side, she's been barking non stop for the last 20 minutes for no apparent reason, and it's getting a little old. Beggars can't be choosers though.

And now, time to be productive and get on with my day. Had a nice visit with Jessica earlier and a Skype date with Quinn and have otherwise been lounging in bed for the most part this afternoon. Maybe I'll make that Ikea trip this evening. Let's hope that I don't blow away in the wind...!