What's Up, Moon?

The Monkey and I were out a bit late tonight. Some nap shenanigans had him waking up at 3:45 pm. A quick lunch, and then off to visit our friends' brand new baby. (Cute as can be.) Then we were a hop skip and a jump away from Adams Morgan, so we headed over.

The local arts & crafts fair ("Crafty Bastards '06") was already closing down by the time we got there. Then we found parking...very close to a sports bar. Very close. Sports bar. During the live broadcast of a Patriots game. Patriots.

Even though the Monkey Mama is still out of town, and the sports bar was very close, we didn't go in. Well, we ducked in so I could check the score (Patriots up 14-13 midway through the 3rd quarter) but it was loud, crowded, and not a good place for the Monkey to roam whilst the Monkey Daddy grabbed a quick pint.

Instead, we walked across the Duke Ellington Bridge. It's a great stone thing that spans high above Rock Creek and connects Adams Morgan and Woodley Park. There were nice row houses to point out, flowers, and birds. And when we were in the middle, I pointed out the river and trees below, and birds, and planes taking off from National, and similar stuff. I pointed out the Taft Bridge across a gulf of about 80 yards. That place really does have a remarkable view. It's one of favorite places in the fall: seeing the trees turn colors below you, with happy foot traffic passing by, and even the spire of a nearby minaret adding nice visual interest.

Then I pointed out the moon rising in the east. A nice, waxing moon, just past half. A clear blue sky, a brilliant white moon.

The Monkey was intrigued. He even made a word that sounded like "MOOOooon."

We walked across the bridge, said "W'sup" to the lions guarding the Taft bridge, and mosied back on the other side of the street.

On the way back, we saw some billious pink and purple clouds. I taught the Monkey about clouds yesterday, so that was some exciting reinforcement. Incidentally, I've always felt that Washington DC cloudscapes are heavily underrated.

We walked past a dog park, some guys playing basketball, and then a kids park. Even though it was getting late, we dallied at the kids park for a short time. We ducked in to check the Patriots score (absolutely murdering the Bengals, 31-13 late in the 4th) and beat a hasty retreat to home and bed.

I felt a little bit like I was rushing the bedtime ritual. But even now I realize that my thoracic vertebrae feel completely fushed from holding, rocking, and bouncing the Monkey four hours and hours today. I guess I'm pretty patient after all.