When my alarm clock went off at 0515 this morning (5:15 a.m. - - just throwing military terminology in there for ya), the first thing I heard was "Metro parking lots are full".
For some reason that jarred me awake.
Full?! FULL! Its not even O dark 530 yet.
Once my sleep depraved fog lifted, I heard the radio commentators on WTOP say there were three metro lots in Maryland that were already full. At 6 a.m. drivers were reporting that they had been waiting in line for 2 hours to get into the metro lot near my home. Are you kidding me??? Holy cow!
Also at 6 a.m., it was announced that the only route via a Virginia bridge into DC was closed because there had been a serious accident, involving the ejection of one person from the vehicle.
By 7 a.m. the ridership on the metro was 200,000 people. And there were still more people standing in huge crushes on the platforms.
You can go to WTOP's web site, for the latest traffic reports. They have reporters at key metro stations, the Washington Monument, some of the check points along the parade route and at Capital Hill.
While my journalistic heart is turning over at the thought that I am missing this historic event, I am glad I didn't venture out. It was flippin' 12 degrees this morning at 5:30. I think its gotten up to about 20. When I was younger, I'd suck up the cold and the traffic and the crowds. In my 'old age' - - maybe its my 'wise age' - - I have determined that its not worth it. I've done DC during July 4th. The getting into DC isn't so much the problem. Its the leaving DC. Everyone will be leaving at the EXACT same time. None of this hours and hours worth of trickling in - - they aren't going to trickle out, no. It will be fire hose out. And, you know, I'm really not that interested in getting THAT close to people I don't know.
What I am venturing out to do is resolve this issue I had over the weekend with some yahoo getting hold of my debit card number. Luckily, my bank caught it right away and stopped payment on the first charge and notified me. $412 to some pharmacy in New York. Luckily I really don't keep much money in my checking account. That one charge almost wiped me out. The bank credited the money back to me, so I'm assuming whoever has my number is making online orders. This worries me because I thought you need someone's name and address to use a credit card for online purchases. So after I take care of all the bank account stuff. I'll have to contact all the credit reporting agencies to see if my identity has been stolen.
Wonderful.
Just what I needed.
The thing that really killed me, is I use my debit card for EVERYTHING. I do not carry cash. So, this long weekend, I was without cash or the ability to use my debit card (the bank closed it right away after the first fraudulent charge). I don't like using my credit card for little purchases. However, I needed gas. When I was pretty much down to just chocolate pudding in my refrigerator, I had to give in and go grocery shopping.
So, today, I will be burning up vacation hours to resolve this lovely issue. It is so annoying. Its like being rear ended by someone. Sure, their insurance covers the damage but I have to take the time off to take my car in and be inconvenienced.
So yes, the Inauguration word of the day (WOTD), put forth by the WTOP traffic reporter, is "Patience".
I think that I will have to be patient today, even though I'm not going in to the city for the inauguration.
Oh, and on the sleep note - - when a cat has been held hostage under a bed all day by the other cats, it wants to play when the coast is clear. Can I just say "velcro wall".
Yes, that was my bed last night. I have no idea what imaginary things Gracie was chasing. She'd jump on the bed and claw her way the rest of the way up and then do some chase the tail thing on top of me then fling herself off the bed. Then I started hearing digging noises - - and they weren't coming from the litter box.
Note to self: clean clothes or dirty clothes in a laundry basket equals REALLY soft kitty litter.
Needless to say when I realized what was happening, I was wide awake and trying to put her in the litter box. I'm thinking the boys have cornered her in the litter box so she doesn't want to go in it now. GREAT. She peed in the box but pooped in and on my slippers.
Since I was awake and it was like 12:30 a.m., I played with her for an hour until she burrowed under the blankets and fell asleep.
So, I'm really tired.
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