Today, I walked around Washington, D.C. It was more fun than I expected, actually, seeing as I was alone and have not been partial to being left alone with my brain running all the time. I walked from my Aunt’s house to the Metro station– 1.1 miles, according to Google Maps– and took the Metro into DC. I ended up at G and 13th, and walked from there to the Mall, and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
I have a thing for Natural History. I love it. My school started took us there once a year in Lower School. In first grade, they took us to see the bugs. I can’t remember what second grade went for. Third grade went to see the Native Americans. Fourth grade went to see the “Western Cultures”– that is, the Ancient Egyptians. Fifth grade… maybe went to see a Medieval exhibit? But I can’t remember. I remember first grade, definitely. We got to go to the bug room and the guy showed us all these insects and cool stuff and we got to hold them. It was great. When my family went to England when I was ten, I made my parents take me to the Natural History Museum in London, which was near our flat. Seriously, I love natural history museums.
So today I went and looked at the Dinosaurs and Paleobiology and all the prehistoric fish and stuff. It was relaxing, somehow, wandering among school groups and families and all these people, and just get to look at what I wanted to, and read all the plaques I felt like, and if I felt like pondering the reason a Triceratops’ humerus was so ridiculous, I could. I had a good time.
Then I went out again and found lunch at a cafe.
Then I walked back and went to the Mammals hall. Apparently mammals can be specified by three things: fur, milk production, and INNER EAR BONES. Who knew? Ear bones. Sweet.
And I wore my favorite sweater (Rogue), because it is- as you know- Mr. Roger’s birthday (okay, I just wore my sweater, but it felt appropriate).
And I listened to the Stitch It! podcast all the time I was out walking in the cold, and it was lovely. Meghan’s great. I love the sound of her laugh. It’s infectious. Her kid Owen is hilarious.
It was a good day, but I was so tired afterwards. My feet were so tired. That was pretty great too. I had fun being on my own, just wandering around. Yay!
I’ll have pictures soon of a) what I’m knitting and b) what I’m SPINNING. I borrowed a wheel from a friend’s mom and I’ve been spinning and it’s super fun. The wheel is for my senior project, but I want to practice on the fiber I have not for the project, and it’s wonderful.
