July Date with Kristina and the Exorcist Steps

Typical. We forgot to take a photo when we were together, so we took selfies after we parted. Sigh

Kristina and I went to Pie Sisters for our July date. Both of us got the chicken potpie pie slice. So so delicious! 

Chicken Pot Pie. mmmmm

After dinner, we went to see the Exorcist steps in Georgetown. I have been wanting to go see that for 10-11 years now! Finally! 

This guy kept running up and down these insanely steep steps! Annoying, because I couldn't get a photo without him! But, man, some stamina! 

After the steps, we picked up pies to take home and then ended the evening with frozen yogurt at Pinkberry - I LOVE the chocolate caviar topping they have. mmmmm

Fire Flies!

Rock Creek Park

This evening we went for a walk, after sorting through the coat closet. We did a quick walk through a stretch of Rock Creek Park. We were there arounf 19:45, and the fire flies were out there glowing in all their beauty. As we followed the trail, all around us, in sporadic flashes, the fireflies lit up. So pretty, so magical. Fire flies do not seem like they belong to nature. They feel like they have materialized from magical imagination. :)

Fire Flies!

Turkish Embassy, DC

The Turkish embassy in DC is gorgeous. I only saw the embassy today, after 12 years in DC. We were walking to the Foggy Bottom farmer's market via Massachusetts Avenue and 23rd street when we spotted it. The embassy also has a beautiful Golden Retriever who cam bounding and barking toward us till the courtyard railings allowed him to. :)

Last Day at GWUH

Goodbye Breakfast

Today, I walked out of The George Washington University Hospital for the last time as the Molecular Diagnostics Technical Specialist, 4 years and 3 months after I first started. It was definitely time for me to leave. But, leaving is always hard. Onward, to a new life...

Pre-PCR Room: 

 Post-PCR Room: 

FISH Room: 

Pathology Lounge: 

My Locker - #448

I clocked out for the last time as Technical Specialist - Molecular Diagnostics

Cynthia

Cynthia, at Justin's House

One of the first prints we got from Seth was that with the character Cynthia. I identified with her, and loved the print, and now it is up on our wall. We bought this print when we visited Thomas for July 4th weekend last year. 

This year, we were in Thomas again, for July 4th. Justin and Trevor had just done up their house and Justin invited us up to see what they had done. They have converted the floor into 2 one bedroom apartments with a kitchen and bathroom. They also have a studio that Nellie will use. The apartments are just gorgeous, and everything they used was reused or repurposed! Such talented fellows. They did all the work themselves. 

As we were touring the place, we noticed that Justin also has the Cynthia print up in a beautiful frame. We commented on it, and Justin told us the story behind it. 

Justin had visited an estate sale in Houston. There were a lot of frames on sale. The lady, who had passed away, Cynthia, used to write a lot of poems. It seemed like her family didn't care about her writing, which was sad. Justin bought this frame and the writing it held, and asked Seth to create something from it. And so, the character Cynthia came to be. 

I Found Vanny Again!

She was performing outside the foggy bottom metro when I left work at 8:15pm. If you are going to work late on a Friday evening, it can't be too bad if it ends this way. Go out and find her, if you haven't heard her yet. She is excellent!

Inside of the Islamic Center of Washington

Last week, I had finally taken photos of the Islamic Center and entered its premises. But, I hadn't gone into the Prayer Room. With Arefa and kids, borrowed abayas from the center, we were all able to go in. The room is small, but captivating in its beauty. I'm so glad Arefa insisted we go in. 

Beautiful Arches

I love this part of the ceiling

Chandelier in the center or the room

National Postal Museum

Murtaza, Arefa, Aaliya and Saleem came to DC because Bhai Murtaza had a conference in DC. I joined Arefa and the kids to see the Postal Museum. 

The museum floor, on the lower level, has tiles that look like envelopes with a stamp in the corner. Such a smart design :)

Notice the Envelope-esque Tiles

We saw a mail wagon. These were used to deliver mail. As the train pulled up at stations of smaller towns, the train would not stop, just slow down. And, the mail bags would be flung on to the platform, while other bags full of mail for delivery were picked up with the train moving!

One of the exhibits at the museum is the PostSecret exhibit. In 2004 Frank Warren founded it. People mail in secrets on homemade postcards. This ventures has received hundreds of thousands of postcards. Some of them were displayed individually, some placed in a large pyramid, and most of them in storage. 

PostSecret Postcard Pyramid

One of the PostSecret Postcards 

A Heart Wrencihing PostSecret Postcard

There were a lot of interesting stamps and mail displayed at the museum . 

A Swedish Feather Letter

I enjoyed seeing stamps from Oman. 

There were a LOT of stamps from India, divided by state amongst other things. 

Sindh Dak Post: These stamps from the Sindh District were the first issued in India, and in Asia. The 1854 the Indian government recalled all unused stamps from Sindh, making the scarce today. The red stamp is also rare because the fragile wax caused many to fall apart. Sindh is now in Pakistan

Sindh Dak Post

The museums has interactive bits, where you can go through a whole bunch of stamps on a screen and email 10 to yourself. I did it, and here are the 10 I picked: 

They also let you design a stamp and email it to yourself, in two version - a current version, and a historic one. Here's the one I designed: 

Aaliya designed her stamp