Mr & Ms DQ off to DC

Last Friday Mr. DQ, Mark Hufford, accepted a great new job in DC. He’ll be Director of Grassroots Outreach for the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

So, we’re moving there next week. Last week we raced up I-81 and found a cute little place just outside NE DC. Yard signs seen in our multicultural neighborhood:

“Civil marriage = civil right”
“Guilty of war crimes: Impeach Bush Now”
“Pray for Peace, Act for Peace, DARFUR”
“War is not the answer.”

A bit of culture shock in more ways than one: County requires pet permits (even for ferrets!) Costs five times more if they’re not spayed or neutered. No pets are allowed to roam free. That’s not gonna work. But all good ideas, no?

Plus, you can’t let your grass grow over a foot (our backyard is an obvious violation) or work on your car (except for minor maintenance). We’re gonna test their obvious discrimination against PWTs by placing our cat-scratched upholstered couch on the front porch.

There are lots of rules about trees (called the Urban Forest ordinance) which have resulted in these towering over our immediate neighborhood (below) and a general old fashioned country feel to a place a half mile from a metro stop, a new Home Depot, Macy’s, and a Staples as well as all kinds of mom-and-pop ethnic restaurants, two high schools, the community pool and bike paths that follows streams and the Anacostia River for miles.

What’s really exciting is that, due to Maryland law, we have several power companies to choose from. And a couple of them offer 100% wind sourced energy at 14.3 cents per kWh. Interesting, eh?

Our 17 years in WNC have been more wonderful than I can ever describe. I’ll never forget the amazing people, the absolutely stunning land, the black bear I saw bumbling out of my driveway last week. DC can’t possibly measure up in so many ways.

But, as you know, it’s the mainstage of the political world. Once I get settled in. I’ll be sure to let you know everything I can about the goin’s on of the NC delegation. I can’t wait to stalk meet my soon-to-be former Congressman Patrick McHenry and introduce myself to my new Congressman, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Big city, here we come.