Long time - no post! (Although I think I've said that before!)
Since Feb. 14th, (I am embarrassed by how much time has passed) we have been busy with many highs and lows.
Here goes...
My close friend Zeba came down for a week in February. So great to show off this amazing city. Highlights included successful shopping, excellent eating (especially Five Guys Hamburgers) and a trip to the National Zoo to visit the 7 new lion cubs (and all the museums we went to: American Indian, Air and Space, Natural History and the monuments....). While Zeba was here we also celebrated Marcius' 32nd birthday with an Ethiopian Feast. DC is actually home to most Ethiopians outside of Ethiopia, needless to say the food was excellent.
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| M's BDay with our great friends Priya and Will |
I officially reapplied for another leave-of-absence from TDSB and have had many good phone interviews since. In fact, I was invited to full day interviews at a private girls' school in Maryland (Holton-Arms), as well as to Sidwell Friends School in DC, which is where the Obama girls go. (No sightings of the President's daughters, but still cool to be there. I also kept wondering who was on the school staff and who was secret service.) That same week I was also offered a contract to write some curriculum for OISE and so I am busy doing that. As exciting as the opportunities were, I haven't received any offers. I am still applying and waiting for that special school that doesn't get bogged down by visa sponsorship or an October 1st start date. (The visa I need is an H-1B and employment may only start on Oct 1.)
Next up, my Mom returned to DC and we quickly started our 1100 mile road trip to Sanibel Island to celebrate March Break with the Delameres. We couldn't have asked for better weather and I had the best time hanging out with my nieces full-time.
Not long after my Mom and I returned, Marcius took off to the Oil Sands in Ft. McMurray. I will let him fill you in on all the details. Although I can tell you a highlight was sitting in a box seat during an Alberta Junior Hockey League playoff game.
Having barely seen each other in March, Marcius and I made a quick trip to NYC to take in a show at the Village Vanguard. As always, I fell in love with the city's vibrancy and never ending great places to eat! (This time we were very trendy and had brunch at Freeman's, located down a back alley in the East Village.)
Next, I secretly came to Toronto for a meeting at OISE. Not to mention the Megabus fare was only $1 each way.... yup $1. (+ a fifty cent booking fee but I didn't let that stop me) On the Wednesday afternoon I decided to treat myself to Billy Elliot, the musical. I learned that before every show there is a lottery for box seats for $25 - an of course I won! I assumed that there was no way that I was going to win because I had already won Roll-Up-The-Rim-To-Win earlier that morning. The show was great!
The Cherry Blossoms arrived in DC and Marcius and I indulged!
Most recently, my brother Sean came to DC. We had good walks, talks, shops, tours, games of Catan and lots of laughs, despite the brutal weather. My friend Kellie arrives tonight and then my sister's family is here next weekend for Easter.
We are both finding the uncertainty of next year difficult, but we are just trying to enjoy Spring in DC, NBA and NHL playoffs, and all of our visitors. So come!
Here is a pic from Frederick Douglass House and National Park in Southeast DC. FD was a biracial child born into slavery who escaped, learned to read and worked with Lincoln and others to abolish slavery. Over time he grew to be the most wealthy and influential African American in the 1800s working for the US Government. We visited his restored home.
