Driving in Washington, DC can be dangerous for your health

Today I was reminded of an adventure I had in the 1990s. I was sitting at a stoplight in Washington, DC after attending a meeting, and noticed that the Smithsonian Air and Space museum was to the right. I sat there trying to decide if I just wanted to go home or should I slip into the museum and do more research for my Wright brothers book.  

Unnoticed by me, the light turned green. The car to the left of me moved into the intersection only to be completely smashed by a car driving on the crossroad who had run the red light. Because I had been distracted by the Air and Space museum and didn't move when the light turned green, the accident completely missed me. 

I suspect that the driver causing the accident had been checking messages on their phone.

(yes, I decided to turn right -- there's no way I could have continued straight ahead because of the accident.)

O Christmas Tree

 

Everyone posting pictures of their Christmas trees remind me of something my husband told me. 

One year on Christmas break from college, his parents asked him to take down the Christmas tree and put away the ornaments. He forgot. When he came back home for Easter break, there was the tree - all brown, most of the needles dropped off and in piles on the floor around it. It was terrible to clean up, but it was all his to do.

Will it come in time for Christmas?

I just ordered a present for my grandson. Estimated delivery for standard delivery was December 24. Hmmm, sez me. I'll pay the extra $15 for expedited delivery. 

Now the estimated delivery date is -- drum roll -- December 23. 

Really????

Christmas Choir memories

 It's that time of year, again.  But this year choirs are singing together over zoom.

I sang the Messiah with my high school chorus and loved it.  

So years later, when our church invited members to add themselves to the adult choir to sing the Christmas part (or it might have been just the Hallelujah Chorus) one December, I jumped at the chance. We had several practices and the choir director gave us a tape to play in our car to sing with as we drove to and from work for more practice. (I'm alto) On the big day, first the teen choir walked in singing (my daughter was in the teen choir), then we adults followed. My daughter was so surprised to see me on the other side of the church singing with the adult choir! I hadn't told her what I was doing. 　

No more Book Expo

 Book Expo is closing down.  Here are some of my memories of this yearly event:

I used to have a writer friend who lived in NYC, so I'd stay at her high rise apartment sleeping on cushions on the floor and taking cabs or the subway to the Javits Center. Then we'd split. She to go smooze with publishers and editors and get writing assignments; and me to split between librarian-me surrounded by New Books! And Writer me stopping by all my publisher's booths and smoozing.  

I remember not being able to find a place to eat there so I'd exist on banana/ strawberry smoothies which I'd drink at the resting station talking with other writers.  

The author signing lines were long, but fun. One year one of the subjects of my biographies was signing, so I stopped by to talk to her. The year Bruce Coville was signing, he gave me a stack of books to take back to my library to give out as Summer Reading Prizes. (they were paperbacks) I soon learned to take an empty suitcase to the convention center to load giveaway books in.

We will miss this event.  Hopefully something else will replace it after the pandemic is over.

Running out of Gas

I always had adventures when I ran out of gas. Was embarrassed both times and never ran out of gas again. 

Did you know that - if you are wearing a mini dress and bend over looking at your car as if checking something that someone will stop to help you and will go get gas for you?  

That if your car dies because of lack of gas (with your mother in the car) you can just drift back down that hill because there was a gas station at the bottom?