More DC Adventures

Just before I flew down to DC last week, I realized that my nails were a little ragged. No problem, I knew I'd have time to get a manicure Friday morning. I looked up some salons on Yahoo and made some phone calls. There were two places who said they had time available for a walk-in. I thought about trying to find the place I went last year, but I hadn't quite gotten my bearings. I walked out to the doorman and asked about the first address. Could he point me in the right direction? He had a funny look on his face and I asked if he thought it was too far to walk. He just suggested a cab. Ok. No problem, I'm lazy, you don't need to twist my arm. So off we go................from H St. NW..........through some blighted neighborhoods, and finally into a business area............U and 13th. Once inside it was your standard walk-in mani/pedi place. The person I was seated in front of was male and clad in spandex, talking on his blue tooth. My heart sank. I thought he wouldn't pay attention and rush and it would be crummy. I was wrong. He took his time, was very gentle and thorough. His phone call kept him from trying to engage me in converstion and that's the way I like it. The hand massage was perfect.

While my mind drifted I glanced around the shop. I am not normally a "people watcher", but I couldn't help but notice that the only patron getting a pedicure was a man. Hmmmm. Then I noticed the man sitting at another station, his manicure was just wrapping up. Just then, another man came in, sat down and the manicurist went to work on his hands. Oh well, I was pretty much the only woman (other than employees) except for a woman in the next row with long, flowing, brown hair with blonde highlights.........then she turned around and I saw her adams apple.

LOL Life is fun. Anyway, except for the fact that the nail polish was slathered on too thickly and didn't dry properly, it was a fabulous, relaxing manicure. I think he wasn't good at the poish part because most patrons were just getting their nails buffed or coated with a little clear polish.

When I stepped outside, I saw that I had missed a call from ConcreteBob & called him back.

"Hey lady, where are you? I'm having coffee in the lobby of your hotel."
"I just got a manicure."
"Good for you. Where are you? I'll come get you."
"No, I'll catch a cab. I'm at "U" and "13th"
"What? What? Hold on! I have to step outside, so I can hear you. Say that again. Where are you?"
"U" and "13"
"How did you......Stay right there. I'm coming to get you."
I wait five minutes and up rolls Princess Crabby's chauffeur. Guess I wasn't supposed to be there................lol.

Was this a "lalalala", Gracie?

Anyway, after lunch we gave up waiting for Tommy to join us and headed over to the Capitol for our 2 pm tour. The tour was interesting, but I would have liked more time to wander around some of the exhibits. We were a group of 9 including our tour guide. She was small and quiet and Bob & I missed a lot. If you ever want to sneak something into the gallery, might I suggest taking along the elderly woman from our group? She never shut up and complained about the walking. Henpecked everyone she came into contact with. At one point, we had to check our cell phones and cameras and she was complaining about something. Finally a police officer asked where her party was. She pointed to us and he told her to go and join her party. LOL She could have had liquids. She could have had chinese stars. She could have had chlorine gas. LOL He just wanted her gone.

After the tour, Bob got his lines crossed and took me, in my fashionable sandals, the looooooonnnnnnnnngggggggg way around.

Back at the hotel, Tom turned up. He had missed us by 15 minutes and if only we had been able to talk to him we could have told to grab a cab and join us. The older couple didn't show up until 2:20 and Tom could easily have beat them. Oh well. All I really cared about was being on that bed with my bare feet propped up. Tom & Bob got acquainted while Bob got directions to the Car Pool (the milblog_precock destination). The Car Pool was fun, thanks Matt! Tom came with us and also enjoyed himself. When it was time to head over to the Westin, we brought Tom and then stuffed him in a cab back to the Hyatt. The Cocktail Reception was great, thanks Andi! The after or postcock was blurry, thanks Noonan, Shippert, and Bob.

I met pretty much everyone who went and loved every minute of it. Bob dropped me off at 0230. I made an incredible amount of noise while trying to quietly get into bed while not waking Tommy.

I have already posted about the horrors I suffered several short hours later.