Countdown to Sheer Chaos

Am I reading this right???

I have spent the last five minutes curled up trying to make sure I am absolutely certain that I can remain in my parking space throughout the upcoming apocalyptic event, also known as the Inauguration. According to this map, I live just on the upper edge of Ground Zero of this historic event. I am a tad bit freaked. How would you like 4 million people to visit your neighborhood?

I last drove my car in early December. I can’t even remember why. But once we bypassed driving to NC for the holidays, I decided that I would not move my car until after the inauguration. I even reconsidered a trip back home and on to Atlanta once I realized that I would only have three days to find a parking space before the lock downs begin.

Then on some blog or web site last week, I saw a map that restricted all vehicles up through K Street. I live on 6th Street between H and I NW. I am parked on I Street between 5th and 6th Streets. So this map sent my wheels spinning. Where could I take my car in refuge? I had no idea. I was thinking about parking at friend’s. My mental list included Jason, Taylor, Hmmm… that was as far as I got. (If either of you read this, I am sure that you will be a little surprised.) Then Lisa had a great idea to ask a neighbor to see if she was driving in to town. So I have asked her, but with no definitive response yet.

But this most recent news… it almost seems to good to be true! I mean, I am stunned that my little block is just one block outside the bounds of these parking restrictions.

# I Street, NW from 23rd Street, NW to 11th Street, NW
# H Street, NW from 23rd Street, NW to 3rd Street, NW

I do have a new song that I started singing to my parking angels a la Madonna’s Open Your Heart to Me. So far it has worked. Could it have also carried over to the inauguration? Granted, this has been my plan for the last seven weeks, but it is such a huge relief that my car can stay put for another 11 days, 2 hours, and 11 minutes (according to the Inauguration Day 2009 web site). Just to be safe, I am printing out the list of closures and having an officer double-check it for me. If plans change, Jason and Taylor, I may come calling.