Today started off rather wonky (yes, that IS a word). Not sure was was going on or why, but it just didn't start off well. Managed to fold towels, put them away, pack lunches, feed children breakfast, and take children to school. Headed from there to the gym, even MORE impatient than usual with drivers not driving as I want them to. Rode the bike and went to yoga. Kept getting cramps in my feet (what's THAT all about)? Managed to not topple over during "tree", so SOMETHING went well. Onto the grocery. "Only" spent $140 so far this week. Got home (detour for construction), unpacked and put away groceries, took a bath, sat down and drank some coffee.
THEN a miracle occurred -- a casual friend called. Normally, I'll let "unknown" numbers roll to voice mail, but something made me take this call. She called because I'd been on her mind today. We talked for about 20 minutes about various things that have been bothering me, she listened as I talked, and prayed for me. Haven't quite taken a 180 yet, but I'm on my way out of the funk. I suppose the lessons for this are to 1) answer the phone more often (sorry Tom -- you called while I was in the bath), 2) be open for blessings wherever they come from and 3)listen to your heart and call people who are on YOUR mind -- your call can make their day!
No other news yet today -- get to pick up the girls in an hour from school, then I'll be the "homework hotline".......
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Was 7th grade this tough in 1980-something?
As I watched Maggie doing homework this weekend I began to wonder if I'd had so much work in 7th grade. Oh my! We got home from shopping and errands at about 2 yesterday, and she was working until about 6:30. Today, she got home from church about 1:30 and was working until 6. Yikes! I'm thankful that she's diligent AND a good student -- I don't have to prod her to do her homework. phew! There's enough for me to worry and fret about!
In other news, nothing it new since last night. Tom made it home at some point after we'd all fallen asleep (I am so NOT a night owl -- even on Saturday nights!). But he indicated this morning that he'd had an extremely uplifting time at the church meetings yesterday.
All is well with my soul.
In other news, nothing it new since last night. Tom made it home at some point after we'd all fallen asleep (I am so NOT a night owl -- even on Saturday nights!). But he indicated this morning that he'd had an extremely uplifting time at the church meetings yesterday.
All is well with my soul.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
the other side of perfect
I am not perfect. I once thought I wanted to be perfect, but many years of self-evaluation, prayer, and various forms of talk therapy later, I recognize the futility of believing I will ever achieve perfection. That said, there is no excuse to not try harder and be better. Yet I fail often and miserably. My biggest problem stems from allowing words to leave my mouth before they've been processed by my head. Sigh. This almost happened this morning -- unfortunately, my means of avoiding it entailed leaving a "discussion" without completing it. While I may have succeeded in not saying something I both would regret and, in truth, would have been motivated by hurt rather than by what is in my heart, leaving the room doesn't make it any better.
In any event, the rest of the day seems to have been full of blessings for all four of us. Tom was able to participate in a series of church meetings all day (he's still not home) -- he hasn't been able to do this for over 10 years and I know both that he's missed the fellowship, worship, and preaching and that these meetings fill his heart with joy. I am so thankful that he was able to participate! And I believe the girls will accompany him to more in the morning, which will be even more of a blessing for Tom.
For the three of us today, we were able to complete many items on the to-do lists. Maggie has grown over the summer -- we were able to find 2 pairs of jeans and one pair of dressy shoes today (whew!). She's at those weird sizes where the girls' are just to small, but the figure hasn't caught up to adults. She's also a bit more curvy than the "junior" sizes, so I'm pleased we were able to find 2 pairs that fit after trying on about a dozen. Meanwhile, Abby was quite patient with the process and has matured beyond the "what are you buying for me" stage. That finished, we were able to go to an early piano lesson, the library, and Walgreen's (yep, ANOTHER trip to the drug-store). Home about 2:30pm. I was able to watch the Saints trounce the Raiders while finishing many other to-do items including wrapping b-day presents and labeling and putting photos into the photo book. Meanwhile Maggie quite diligently worked on studying History and working on English homework (they pile it on even more than I remember!) while Abby cleaned up after the tornado that hit her room.
Tomorrow I hope will be more relaxing. I picked up 5 books that were on reserve at the library, so I hope to have time to read after church. Other than that, continue to strive to improve!
In any event, the rest of the day seems to have been full of blessings for all four of us. Tom was able to participate in a series of church meetings all day (he's still not home) -- he hasn't been able to do this for over 10 years and I know both that he's missed the fellowship, worship, and preaching and that these meetings fill his heart with joy. I am so thankful that he was able to participate! And I believe the girls will accompany him to more in the morning, which will be even more of a blessing for Tom.
For the three of us today, we were able to complete many items on the to-do lists. Maggie has grown over the summer -- we were able to find 2 pairs of jeans and one pair of dressy shoes today (whew!). She's at those weird sizes where the girls' are just to small, but the figure hasn't caught up to adults. She's also a bit more curvy than the "junior" sizes, so I'm pleased we were able to find 2 pairs that fit after trying on about a dozen. Meanwhile, Abby was quite patient with the process and has matured beyond the "what are you buying for me" stage. That finished, we were able to go to an early piano lesson, the library, and Walgreen's (yep, ANOTHER trip to the drug-store). Home about 2:30pm. I was able to watch the Saints trounce the Raiders while finishing many other to-do items including wrapping b-day presents and labeling and putting photos into the photo book. Meanwhile Maggie quite diligently worked on studying History and working on English homework (they pile it on even more than I remember!) while Abby cleaned up after the tornado that hit her room.
Tomorrow I hope will be more relaxing. I picked up 5 books that were on reserve at the library, so I hope to have time to read after church. Other than that, continue to strive to improve!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Back into school-mode
The first full week of school is behind us. Still not at full throttle (one more week before ballet starts), but quickly gearing up. I've managed to visit the grocery 3 times this week and a drug store 3 times as well. Gas station once, and desperately in need of an ATM. I am thankful that we AREN'T up to full speed yet, giving me that much more time to remember how to get organized with regards to errands!
Bible Study commenced again Wednesday. What a blessing to be back! We're studying John this year. I got motivated on Monday and read the whole book. Now for the verse-by-verse study. I also managed to do some shopping for Tom's upcoming birthday -- it looks as those this year we'll be home for it, rather than in a hotel evacuating as last year. He knows he's getting tickets to CATS -- Broadway has finally made it back to New Orleans and CATS opens the season in October/November. Looking forward to the afternoon together!
I also was able to go to open house at school and meet Maggie's teachers and re-acquaint myself with Abby's teachers. Abby received her first A ever -- until this year she was on the "E - VG - G - S" system for grading. Whoo hoo to Abby! Maggie has a completely new set of teachers this year (aside from Computer), but is coping well so far with the work load and happy that she's no longer the shortest in her class (although her friend is now sad that she IS the shortest). She's brought home some A's this week as well. I am quite pleased with their performance so far! Although Abby did manage to leave her PE bag home one day.......sigh.
I'm also back to the gym and my yoga class. While I've been exercising all summer (most of it actually at the gym), the past month has been either holiday or at home, so it's a struggle getting back into the routine -- the weights seem so heavy! I do enjoy it and appreciate the results, so it is worth my time and effort.
Sleepy tonight, so going to chill for a short while, finish some laundry, and head for bed -- a day of shopping for my daughter tomorrow awaits -- she's growing!
Bible Study commenced again Wednesday. What a blessing to be back! We're studying John this year. I got motivated on Monday and read the whole book. Now for the verse-by-verse study. I also managed to do some shopping for Tom's upcoming birthday -- it looks as those this year we'll be home for it, rather than in a hotel evacuating as last year. He knows he's getting tickets to CATS -- Broadway has finally made it back to New Orleans and CATS opens the season in October/November. Looking forward to the afternoon together!
I also was able to go to open house at school and meet Maggie's teachers and re-acquaint myself with Abby's teachers. Abby received her first A ever -- until this year she was on the "E - VG - G - S" system for grading. Whoo hoo to Abby! Maggie has a completely new set of teachers this year (aside from Computer), but is coping well so far with the work load and happy that she's no longer the shortest in her class (although her friend is now sad that she IS the shortest). She's brought home some A's this week as well. I am quite pleased with their performance so far! Although Abby did manage to leave her PE bag home one day.......sigh.
I'm also back to the gym and my yoga class. While I've been exercising all summer (most of it actually at the gym), the past month has been either holiday or at home, so it's a struggle getting back into the routine -- the weights seem so heavy! I do enjoy it and appreciate the results, so it is worth my time and effort.
Sleepy tonight, so going to chill for a short while, finish some laundry, and head for bed -- a day of shopping for my daughter tomorrow awaits -- she's growing!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Joy on a Monday
Despite not sleeping well the last couple of nights, this week has started joyfully and I am eager to experience it! With school in session, I get some semblance of "my life" back in that my regular activities resume. I've been back to yoga class twice (yes, I do yoga videos at home, but it's not quite the same when children come in to either observe, giggle, or just interrupt). I'm able to go to the grocery on my own. And I am so excited that my Bible study resumes this week. We are studying the Gospel of John this year. I've begun reading it again on my own and it's amazing once again. I look forward to seeing my friends on Wednesday morning, sharing what's happened this summer, and getting back into one of my favorite and most joyful routines.
Ballet starts for Maggie again the Wednesday after Labor Day. She is excited. I am thankful that my neighbor wants to carpool again this year. This small kindness enables me to more easily prepare dinner for my family, although with the times of her class, it's often prepared in the morning and put into tupperware for re-heating.
I am also joyful because of church. Last night we continued the celebration of the 40th year for the church. Members gave short testimonies to what a local church has meant for them in their lives. Many of the people have been members for upwards of 30 years, many are newer. They all come from varied ways and God found His way into their hearts and lives in varied manners, but we've all ended up in the same place. It's comforting to me to be with people who don't judge me, instead recognizing (as in John Chapter 8) "Let him among you who has no sin be the first to cast a stone at her." Sin is not condoned, it is recognized and labeled as such, but the care for one another remains. It's been a twisty-turny journey for me to find a place that gives me, as one gentleman said, comfort, joy, love, truth, friendship, learning, and shelter.
So, despite homework, despite getting up early, despite packing lunches, despite carpool, and despite any other irritants, I am joyful and anticipating what will be without forgetting to enjoy where I am right now.
Ballet starts for Maggie again the Wednesday after Labor Day. She is excited. I am thankful that my neighbor wants to carpool again this year. This small kindness enables me to more easily prepare dinner for my family, although with the times of her class, it's often prepared in the morning and put into tupperware for re-heating.
I am also joyful because of church. Last night we continued the celebration of the 40th year for the church. Members gave short testimonies to what a local church has meant for them in their lives. Many of the people have been members for upwards of 30 years, many are newer. They all come from varied ways and God found His way into their hearts and lives in varied manners, but we've all ended up in the same place. It's comforting to me to be with people who don't judge me, instead recognizing (as in John Chapter 8) "Let him among you who has no sin be the first to cast a stone at her." Sin is not condoned, it is recognized and labeled as such, but the care for one another remains. It's been a twisty-turny journey for me to find a place that gives me, as one gentleman said, comfort, joy, love, truth, friendship, learning, and shelter.
So, despite homework, despite getting up early, despite packing lunches, despite carpool, and despite any other irritants, I am joyful and anticipating what will be without forgetting to enjoy where I am right now.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Continuation of good
Life continues to be good, despite really nasty blisters on the back of my ankles. New shoes. Went walking this morning and came home with bloody ankles. Sigh. Tomorrow will be yoga, I suppose!
The rest of today has been relaxing. Maggie went to film something for a friend who's having her Bat Mitvah in two weeks this afternoon. The timing of it may have interfered with piano lessons, so Tom took here. Of course, since we planned for contingencies if it ran late, it was really quick. But it's certainly nice to have Tom willing to cart the girls around when he's around! I took them to piano lessons and then, to continue the lazy Saturday, Tom ordered pizza. Almost no responsibility for me today, and a couple glasses of wine will make it a completely wonderful day (although it would be great even without the wine -- as we say here, that's the "lagniappe" for the day).
Tomorrow will be church and then a slow afternoon. My church is celebrating 40 years of existence and one of the celebrations is tomorrow evening -- testimonies on the value/importance/role of the local church for the parishioners followed by ice cream. All four of us plan to go to this which means the world to me.
Monday brings the first full week of school -- at least we've another week before we get into the ballet routine! Once again, Maggie will have 4 classes per week. Guess my car will be building up mileage again.
Enjoy your week!
The rest of today has been relaxing. Maggie went to film something for a friend who's having her Bat Mitvah in two weeks this afternoon. The timing of it may have interfered with piano lessons, so Tom took here. Of course, since we planned for contingencies if it ran late, it was really quick. But it's certainly nice to have Tom willing to cart the girls around when he's around! I took them to piano lessons and then, to continue the lazy Saturday, Tom ordered pizza. Almost no responsibility for me today, and a couple glasses of wine will make it a completely wonderful day (although it would be great even without the wine -- as we say here, that's the "lagniappe" for the day).
Tomorrow will be church and then a slow afternoon. My church is celebrating 40 years of existence and one of the celebrations is tomorrow evening -- testimonies on the value/importance/role of the local church for the parishioners followed by ice cream. All four of us plan to go to this which means the world to me.
Monday brings the first full week of school -- at least we've another week before we get into the ballet routine! Once again, Maggie will have 4 classes per week. Guess my car will be building up mileage again.
Enjoy your week!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Being Thankful
This week has been really good for me and I have a lot to be thankful for. It's easy to be thankful when the sun is shining (although it's stormed for the past 2 days!) and all is well. Much more difficult to be thankful when it's not going "your way". Even then, I always find something I'm thankful for at the end of the day, even if it is just the fact that it's the end of the day (hee hee!). However, as noted above, this week there is a lot to be thankful for.
1. My husband -- Tom is a wonderful provider. I never imagined not bringing in an income and found it quite humbling when I took severance from Shell 5+ years ago to be "dependent" on someone else. Tom makes it easy for me. I am not an extravagant shopper, which I'm sure helps, but I have freedom to spend as I see appropriate.
2. My girls -- who could ask for more? No, they are not perfect, but I would not want them to be so. You gotta have spirit to do anything worhwhile, no? But they are good girls and I pray that they continue to develop as they've done so far with strong morals and values.
3. My home -- ok, New Orleans isn't my favorite place to live, but we have a great house in a (relatively) safe neighborhood with nice neighbors. We're comfortable here. Yes, there are things we'd change, but this is good for us.
4. What's around me -- I am definitely a girl for a city (or at least suburb). I like having big stores near by. I like having a wide assortment of choices when I shop, be it for groceries or clothing. I like having 2 movie theaters close-by. I like having live theater (both community and "professional") close enough that's it not a production to get there. I LOVE that the airport is 15 minutes from my house, but that I'm not in the immediate take-off/landing zone. And there are several coffee shops nearby.
5. My church -- I've found a home. Full of people I like to be with -- none of us are perfect, but we're all doing our best and striving to live as God wants us to (at least how we believe He wants us to).
6. My friends -- I've never been a friend collector -- I keep things inside. That said, there are many people around who I can count on if I need something -- be it carpooling, a ride somewhere, or just a chat over coffee or lunch.
7. MANY other things -- my parents, my sister, the rest of my family, my in-laws who've always made me feel welcome, my cat, the country I live in, etc. etc.
Count your blessings every day, no matter how few of them there may be on any particular day!
1. My husband -- Tom is a wonderful provider. I never imagined not bringing in an income and found it quite humbling when I took severance from Shell 5+ years ago to be "dependent" on someone else. Tom makes it easy for me. I am not an extravagant shopper, which I'm sure helps, but I have freedom to spend as I see appropriate.
2. My girls -- who could ask for more? No, they are not perfect, but I would not want them to be so. You gotta have spirit to do anything worhwhile, no? But they are good girls and I pray that they continue to develop as they've done so far with strong morals and values.
3. My home -- ok, New Orleans isn't my favorite place to live, but we have a great house in a (relatively) safe neighborhood with nice neighbors. We're comfortable here. Yes, there are things we'd change, but this is good for us.
4. What's around me -- I am definitely a girl for a city (or at least suburb). I like having big stores near by. I like having a wide assortment of choices when I shop, be it for groceries or clothing. I like having 2 movie theaters close-by. I like having live theater (both community and "professional") close enough that's it not a production to get there. I LOVE that the airport is 15 minutes from my house, but that I'm not in the immediate take-off/landing zone. And there are several coffee shops nearby.
5. My church -- I've found a home. Full of people I like to be with -- none of us are perfect, but we're all doing our best and striving to live as God wants us to (at least how we believe He wants us to).
6. My friends -- I've never been a friend collector -- I keep things inside. That said, there are many people around who I can count on if I need something -- be it carpooling, a ride somewhere, or just a chat over coffee or lunch.
7. MANY other things -- my parents, my sister, the rest of my family, my in-laws who've always made me feel welcome, my cat, the country I live in, etc. etc.
Count your blessings every day, no matter how few of them there may be on any particular day!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Back to School!
A day to celebrate as well as dread -- celebrate as there are no more "I'm so bored" comments (although we've been so busy this summer there haven't been too many of those!) but dreading the onslaught of homework and after-school activities. I did do the "Happy Dance" after dropping the girls off this morning, but I am now looking forward to picking them up and getting the skinny on their days. For Abby, 4th grade means the first time she'll be "switching classes" and having different teachers for different subjects. She also gets a HUGE binder this year and will be receiving letter grades rather than E-Excellent, V-Very Good, etc. For Maggie, 7th grade is a new slate of teachers (at her school, most of the 5th and 6th grade teachers are the same for each year). And, of course, more responsibility. They were both excited this morning and enthusiastic to be back, especially to visit more with their friends.
For me, I went back to the gym. Although what I do can hardly be classified as "weight training", I do use the free weights on a 2-3 times per week basis. Of course, with our recent holiday, I haven't been to the gym in about a month. I'm already sore! Nothing like a big of Advil for the soreness, and I imagine my heating pad will be engaged tonight. After that bit of torture, I managed to take my car for it's oil change (whoo hoo!). Definitely want that taken care of as we're still in hurricane season. Then to the library to pick up a book that I'd reserved, and a quick stop at CVS. Home to fold laundry and a bit of "free" time to read, have lunch, and do this before heading out for the girls. The afternoon will include putting contact paper on workbooks and hearing all about school before making dinner. Ballet doesn't start until after Labor Day, so we've a couple weeks before the hectic schedule ensues........
For me, I went back to the gym. Although what I do can hardly be classified as "weight training", I do use the free weights on a 2-3 times per week basis. Of course, with our recent holiday, I haven't been to the gym in about a month. I'm already sore! Nothing like a big of Advil for the soreness, and I imagine my heating pad will be engaged tonight. After that bit of torture, I managed to take my car for it's oil change (whoo hoo!). Definitely want that taken care of as we're still in hurricane season. Then to the library to pick up a book that I'd reserved, and a quick stop at CVS. Home to fold laundry and a bit of "free" time to read, have lunch, and do this before heading out for the girls. The afternoon will include putting contact paper on workbooks and hearing all about school before making dinner. Ballet doesn't start until after Labor Day, so we've a couple weeks before the hectic schedule ensues........
Monday, August 17, 2009
2 in one day.....
Another quick one.....as we're slowly getting ready for school to start (Thursday cannot come soon enough!), today was a (boring) errand day. First to the library where we encountered the traveling exhibit from the National Holocaust Museum. As we'd just been at the museum last week, we decided to check this out. By no means to I mean to discount the horrors for the Jewish people, but so often people overlook the other groups that were persecuted. I truly recognize that Hitler had a particular hatred for the Jews and that more of that group of people were killed than any other, but I also feel that we need to remember the other people persecuted -- the gypsies, homosexuals, people with disabilities (there was one book in the museum about the treatment of deaf people at the camps), and even Jehovah's Witnesses. I never thought myself a particularly "kind" person, but I cannot imagine doing to other people what happened during the war. Yikes!
However, the exhibit at the library was about the book burnings that took place (Duh, it's at a library!). Another one of the things that we forget about in light of the other horrors. I love books. I love even books I have absolutely no desire to read. I respect books. I love the fact that in this country I can read just about anything I want and have access to it as well. Yes, there are books I prefer my daughters to not read (at least at their current age), but I am completely NOT in support of banning books for any reason. Just because I find something offensive, does not (in my mind) mean that you cannot choose to read it -- God gave us free will for a reason, and we can all choose as we wish. Off the soapbox for a bit. Anyway, the library exhibit was about the banning and burning of books, with photos and videos. Another atrocity wrought by an indescribably horrible man.
In any event, on to the library. While we were on holiday we visited many book stores. I have enough Brigden in me that I am rather cheap and prefer to get books from the library to buying them. So I wrote down about 30 or so books that I wanted to get at the library. Ours only allows you to reserve 15 at a time, so I have several remaining on my list. Today I decided to search for one of them that I'd seen at the bookstore at the Holocaust Museum. ARGH! The book is listed as LOST. WHAT HAPPENED TO IT!!!!!!! I wanted to read it! How can a book be lost? Does that actually mean someone took it? Where's that respect for books?????
Okay, I've vented and I feel better. BTW, if anyone finds a copy of "Girl in the Red Coat" by Ligocka (call number 940.5318), please let me read it!!!!!
However, the exhibit at the library was about the book burnings that took place (Duh, it's at a library!). Another one of the things that we forget about in light of the other horrors. I love books. I love even books I have absolutely no desire to read. I respect books. I love the fact that in this country I can read just about anything I want and have access to it as well. Yes, there are books I prefer my daughters to not read (at least at their current age), but I am completely NOT in support of banning books for any reason. Just because I find something offensive, does not (in my mind) mean that you cannot choose to read it -- God gave us free will for a reason, and we can all choose as we wish. Off the soapbox for a bit. Anyway, the library exhibit was about the banning and burning of books, with photos and videos. Another atrocity wrought by an indescribably horrible man.
In any event, on to the library. While we were on holiday we visited many book stores. I have enough Brigden in me that I am rather cheap and prefer to get books from the library to buying them. So I wrote down about 30 or so books that I wanted to get at the library. Ours only allows you to reserve 15 at a time, so I have several remaining on my list. Today I decided to search for one of them that I'd seen at the bookstore at the Holocaust Museum. ARGH! The book is listed as LOST. WHAT HAPPENED TO IT!!!!!!! I wanted to read it! How can a book be lost? Does that actually mean someone took it? Where's that respect for books?????
Okay, I've vented and I feel better. BTW, if anyone finds a copy of "Girl in the Red Coat" by Ligocka (call number 940.5318), please let me read it!!!!!
Just a quick note!
Unlike the last marathon post.....
Yesterday Maggie and I went to see "Julie and Julia" after church. I'd read the book last year (I have a thing for cookbooks even though when I cook I rarely follow a recipe) and you (almost) can't go wrong with a movie that Meryl Streep is in. Didn't expect Stanley Tucci, but he's a trip, no? In any event, the little comment has nothing to do with the movie itself.
Instead, during the previews there's the ad for "MovieTickets.com" (which, as an aside, I like to use AND if you get a free MovieWatcher card from AMC theaters you don't pay the service charge AND get coupons along with your tickets -- yesterday we got a coupon for one free movie ticket which we'll use this week). ANYWAY, the point is the ad. This particular version of the ad features a man running after a train leaving a station, only to have it go without him and a "Sorry, Sold Out" sign posted by the conductor in the back. As the ad starts, he's running through a station -- I was thinking that it looked really familiar and then Maggie said, "Hey, that's our station." No doubt -- they'd filmed the ad at the New Orleans AMTRAK station (which is also the Greyhound Bus Terminal). As he runs after the train, you see an AMTRAK train parked on the next track -- of COURSE it's the same one we rode on!!!! (OK, so that's just a dream of mine). In any event, if Tom hadn't had the bright idea to try out train travel we would have never known that that ad was filmed here. HAH!
Yesterday Maggie and I went to see "Julie and Julia" after church. I'd read the book last year (I have a thing for cookbooks even though when I cook I rarely follow a recipe) and you (almost) can't go wrong with a movie that Meryl Streep is in. Didn't expect Stanley Tucci, but he's a trip, no? In any event, the little comment has nothing to do with the movie itself.
Instead, during the previews there's the ad for "MovieTickets.com" (which, as an aside, I like to use AND if you get a free MovieWatcher card from AMC theaters you don't pay the service charge AND get coupons along with your tickets -- yesterday we got a coupon for one free movie ticket which we'll use this week). ANYWAY, the point is the ad. This particular version of the ad features a man running after a train leaving a station, only to have it go without him and a "Sorry, Sold Out" sign posted by the conductor in the back. As the ad starts, he's running through a station -- I was thinking that it looked really familiar and then Maggie said, "Hey, that's our station." No doubt -- they'd filmed the ad at the New Orleans AMTRAK station (which is also the Greyhound Bus Terminal). As he runs after the train, you see an AMTRAK train parked on the next track -- of COURSE it's the same one we rode on!!!! (OK, so that's just a dream of mine). In any event, if Tom hadn't had the bright idea to try out train travel we would have never known that that ad was filmed here. HAH!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
my summer holiday.....
I don't recall ever being required to submit a "summer holiday" essay in school (of course, there's a LOT I've conveniently "forgotten" about school!). So, why not start this year?
It all started on an early Tuesday morning, July 28th. We headed via taxi-cab to the AMTRAK terminal in New Orleans for the start of our adventure. VERY different from traveling by plane! virtually no line, you can take liquids on the train, luggage is included in the fare, the food is edible, and there's actually a bed to lie down in! Tom had arranged for 2 "roommettes" for us. Maggie and I shared, and Tom and Abby were across the hall from us. While the rooms were quite small (between 4'X7' and 5'X8'), there was enough room for us and our overnight luggage. We had the steward lower the upper bunk which allowed the girls to hang-out together. The lower bunk, during the day, folded up to be two seats facing each other with a fold-down table between them. For me, the only disconcerting part of the arrangement was the fact that the toilet was right next to the bed. Similar to an airplane toilet, although the lid was more solid and became the stepping off for the upper bunk. No privacy if you're at all squeamish to that! The sink was also interesting. It folded up and down and the only way to drain it was to fold it back in. But it was clean and the service was good. For me, the worst part was that it was awfully cold. I slept with 3 blankets, my pjs, a fleece, and Maggie's sweatshirt wrapped around my feet. My mom later found an article in her paper about AMTRAK travelling and there, the biggest complaint was about the lack of individual climate control in the rooms. We were fed 4 meals -- breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breakfast the next morning (although Maggie and I chose to sleep through breakfast). The best meal for me was the salad at lunch -- full of spinach and reasonable tomatoes. In any event, MUCH better than airplane food. The girls and I all slept very well. Tom is a lighter sleeper and found himself waking with each turn of the car. We passed by my parents at about 2am and I suppose I dreamed of them! In any event, it was a fun was to travel. We played lots of games, read, and chilled out. Relaxing and much less stressful than air travel.
We arrived in DC on Wednesday morning the 29th at Union Station. What a beautiful place! We didn't spend much time there, instead getting into a cab to the hotel. Our room wasn't ready, but we were able to store the luggage. This hotel room was a suite in Georgetown. We walked a bit from the hotel and caught the couble-decker bus for a tour. Saw the “major” sights and went back to the hotel for a bit of a rest. Maggie and I weren’t too interested in resting, so we went in search of room-snacks (this hotel had a kitchenette. Made it to Trader Jacks for some snacks, and headed to CVS for soft drinks. Somehow we passed the CVS despite the familiar markings and ended up at Starbucks. The line was far too long so we went back to Barnes & Nobles and had a coffee there. Found the CVS on the way back (it was almost across the street from the hotel – no telling HOW we missed it the first time!) and went back to the room. When we were all rested, we headed to Chinatown for dinner (I’d told Tom that two things would make me happy on the trip – semi-regular trips to a coffee shop and a meal in Chinatown). Ended up being my favorite meal of the trip – I had tofu with eggplant and peppers. We even managed the Metro on our first try. After dinner, we went for a bit of a walk and ended up at the Spy Museum which was fun. All sorts of spy-gear, Cold War information, War information, and present day stuff. At the onset we were all given a “Spy Identity” and quizzed at the end to see if we’d recalled the data on our cover. Made it more fun for the girls. Back to the hotel for a great night’s sleep.
On Thursday morning we attempted to tour the FBI but found (as we’d suspected) that it had been closed to tourists since 9/11. So we went to Ford’s Theatre and the house across the street where Lincoln died. The Ranger did a great job telling the story of what both Lincoln and Wilkes-Booth had done during the day and giving the details without being overly disgusting. I’d never been there and found it interesting. After that we headed to the Natural History Museum. Saw various animals but, for us, the highlight was the rocks and gems, and, of course, the Hope Diamond. I know I’ve been there before, but I was amazed at the size of the collection – you could spend hours just looking at all the rocks! Even had a meteor you could touch. But the true highlight of the day was dinner. Tom convinced the girls (particularly Abby) to try Ethiopian food. He and I had had it several times in Houston and found it tasty and fun to eat with the injera bread rather than utensils. The girls were skeptical, but willing. They ended up loving it, especially Abby. Always fun to eat with your hands, no?
Friday morning we headed to a French pastry shop in Georgetown for breakfast. One of the items on the list was a HUGE meringue. It was about 12”X4”X3”. Maggie likes the softer inner part best. Also had several other pastries and I was quite happy with my little “pot of coffee”. From there we headed to the National History Museum, home of various American memorabilia. The girls and I enjoyed the First Lady exhibit, including several gowns and other items from the first ladies. And I felt quite old as I realized that my daughters had no clue who Archie Bunker was or why his chair is so famous! Tom tells me I did a fairly good impersonation of Edith’s voice, however. They did like the ruby red slippers. Abby and I enjoyed the string instruments, particularly the violins. And we learned that Chelsea Clinton danced on pointe shoes as one pair of hers are on exhibit. Then it started to rain. And didn’t stop. So I went and bought ponchos – bright blue with “Smithsonian” all over them. We put them on and looked ridiculous. Tom had his backpack underneath and looked like a hunchback, I tied mine tight around my face, Abby looked like an Ewok as hers almost touched the ground. Thus Maggie was the “most fashionable” in our group! At least we were dry! Headed to see the Declaration of Independence and Constitution from there. Tom is in the process of confirming that a signer of the Declaration is a relative, so he pointed that out to the girls. I was happy that they were interested in the documents, rather than bored. For dinner we enjoyed Vietnamese food – GREAT to be in a city with a variety of cuisine!
Saturday morning we met a friend of mine from college to go to the Crime and Punishment museum. She lives in the area and we re-met on Facebook in the past year. I was glad to have found a museum that was new to her, rather than “making” her go back to re-visit one she’d been to. Since we also live in a tourist area, I recognize that it can be tiring always taking people to the same places you’ve been before! The museum was interesting and had an activity for the girls to do (more of the museums seem to do this – have a treasure hunt or something similar for the kids which allows the adults more time to actually read about the exhibits – whoever came up with this idea gets my applause!). Not only were there “old” crimes (such as Bonnie & Clyde), but also more recent ones. Apparently, the show “American’s Most Wanted” also films there and we got to see the set. We headed for lunch afterwards and then split up – my friend to a picnic, Tom and Abby to the hotel for a rest, and Maggie and I to the Science Museum. This was quite small, but they were having a “free” day for families and we decided to go. Learned a bit about weather, saw a self-contained water eco-system, and saw a great exhibit on the proper use and effects of antibiotics. She and I finished there, did a bit of window shopping, and had Thai food for dinner.
Sunday was a slower day. Tom and Maggie left early to pick up the rental car and went to visit a church. Abby and I slept in and then went to the Aquarium. This is quite a small and older attraction, but we enjoyed our time together! We also did a bit of shopping and met Tom and Maggie back at the hotel in the afternoon. We later headed to see Tom’s friends from high school at their house. I’ve met them before and we had an enjoyable evening with them. Nice to catch up with people, even if you don’t see them very often, no?
Monday morning we left the hotel and headed toward Luray, Virginia where we’d rented a farmhouse for a few days. My parents were meeting us there. We did meet up at the house, “moved” into our rooms, and relaxed a bit. Mom and Abby stayed at the hotel and the rest of us headed back to Luray (15 miles that took about 30 minutes each way) to pick up some food for dinner. On the way we saw a farmer’s stand and stopped to get fresh vegetables – they were GREAT! We ended up with a cantaloupe, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, yellow squash, peppers, and some jam. Then to the grocery where we got steak and fixings. Back to the house where we started cooking. I got put in charge of chopping veggies and it was hard to keep any for anyone else! The squash literally tasted like butter. And the tomatoes were as good as the ones my grandfather used to grow. GREAT meal! The girls entertained us with a show that evening --the first of several! These included “Are you smarter than a 4th graded?”, a Phase-10 championship, and “Who knows Abby Webb Best?”.
Tuesday we ended up heading down the Shenandoah River on canoes. While I adore my husband, we are both first-born stubborn people and aren’t very good at allowing anyone else to be “in charge”. Therefore, my dad, Maggie, and I shared a canoe while mom, Tom and Abby went in the other. The river was a bit low, so dad got in and out when we were grounded. But it really was fun. After that, dad and I headed (sweaty and somewhat wet) back to town to get something to make for dinner (our timing wasn’t really good – we slept in and relaxed, ended up eating junk for lunch on the river – e. g. what we bought at the outfitters – and were really hungry!). And the grocery didn’t carry rotisserie chicken. So we bought chicken breasts, and made barbecue. No one was too unhappy with the results, although I think we would have eaten just about anything by that time! Another show this evening!
Wednesday we headed to the Luray Caverns. WOW! These were really spectacular. Mom told us that my grandparents had visited them back in the 1930s – neat to know we’d been in the same place 80 years later. We ate lunch in town, and then mom and dad took the girls back while Tom and I picked up stuff for dinner – spaghetti night. One more show…….
Thursday was another day on the river, tubing this time. It’d rained the night before and there was an “aroma” about the house – let’s just say it smelled as though something was acting up with the septic system. The girls really liked tubing, although the trip was about 30 minutes longer than they really wanted and both got cut on rocks (nothing major, thankfully)! While we were all pooped at the end, dad and I went to the grocery (again in wet clothes – dad gets the award for hanging out in wet pants as I’d packed dry shorts and removed my bathing suit bottom). We got the quickest thing we could think to make for dinner – kielbasa, frozen veggies, and black beans. Thankfully everyone liked it (or, once again, were so hungry it didn’t matter!). Unfortunately, the aroma of the house got stronger…..
So, Friday morning we left a day early. Mom and dad had been planning on leaving Friday, but we did also. We believe the problem was with the set tub in the laundry in that the water in the trap evaporated. Tom and dad had finally identified that as perhaps the main source of the scent and, once water was run through that sink, it disappeared. Still, we did leave. On our way back we stopped at the extension to the Air and Space Museum near the airport where there are MANY more planes and aircraft. Enjoyed an IMAX film as well about fighter pilot training. Thankfully again, our hotel was able to allow us to stay an extra day, so we didn’t need to find alternative lodging for just one night. This hotel was in Arlington. We had dinner (most definitely NOT my favorite meal) at an Asian café. It was serviceable but not much else. We then took a taxi and saw the new (to us!) FDR memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.
Saturday Tom and Abby went to return the rental car. Maggie and I walked over the Key Bridge back to Georgetown to get Tom’s clothes from the hotel (he’d left them in the drawers there…..). We did a bit of shopping on the way, discovering a “hidden” shopping mall. I’d stained my white shirt, so bought another one as well as getting each of us another shirt. Tom’s clothes ended up being in a big shopping bag, so we decided to take the metro back to Arlington. However, we did decide to stop at another CVS for snacks and drinks for our room. Met with Tom and Abby and the hotel and headed to the zoo where we saw the pandas! It was REALLY hot outside, but we managed…..
Sunday morning we went to Arlington Cemetery in the hopes of beating the head – no luck there. We saw the newish Women in the Armed Forces memorial/exhibit which was quite interesting, including a short film on the history of women in the services in this country, from the War for Independence onward. Took the girls to see where JFK is buried, saw the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and saw the memorials to the Challenger and Columbia. With them is also a memorial to the people who attempted to liberate the American Embassy in Iran in the 1970s. After that we went to the Holocaust museum (talk about 2 depressing museums in on day!). It’s a powerful museum. Security is quite tight there now, after the unfortunate killing of a guard earlier this year. For the Ohioans out there, Les Wexner donated the moneys for the Learning Center at this museum. Then we headed to the Air and Space Museum for something more uplifting. We enjoyed a planetarium show as well as all the planes and spacecraft.
Monday morning the girls and I got pedicures. Then we headed to the Library of Congress and got to see Jefferson’s Library there. WOW! What an eclectic collection of books! From there we headed to the Supreme Court Building. We (of course) hadn’t seen the swearing in of Justice Sotomoyer, and court wasn’t in session, so it wasn’t the most interesting place, although lunch was pretty good! We then went to the postal museum. We did the exhibit on how targeted mailing works, the girls each sent themselves a postcard, and we watched a short film on how rail was used in postal delivery until 1977. We had Turkish food for dinner – Maggie liked it, Abby didn’t…….
Tuesday was our last full day. We went back to the pastry shop in Georgetown for breakfast. Tom then went to an antiquarian bookstore. We stayed there for about 10 minutes and then went wandering by ourselves. Maggie and I showed Abby the “hidden” mall and we window-shopped. We met Tom perhaps 2 hours later at Barnes & Nobles. He’d spent the entire time at the bookstore and purchased several items he’d had shipped home. We then headed to see the Lincoln and Vietnam Memorials. It was again QUITE hot, so we didn’t stay too long, particularly at the Vietnam one, although I pointed out my mom’s cousin’s name to the girls. Onward to the National Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. We enjoyed both of these a lot. In the Art Museum there was a piece of art by Mike Wilkins made up of license plates from each of the 50 states spelling out the preamble to the Constitution. Maggie and I got the t-shirt with this on the back. Abby got a book. That evening we had Afghani food for dinner – again it wasn’t Abby’s favorite, although the rest of us enjoyed it!
Wednesday Tom and Maggie went to the Botanical Gardens. Abby wasn’t interested and it wasn’t high on my “list” of things to do, so she and I went to Starbucks for breakfast and hung out at the hotel. We met back in the room and packed up, then had lunch at the hotel. It had cooled down, so we all walked back over the Key Bridge into Georgetown. I think by now we were museumed out, so we spent probably 2 hours looking at Barnes & Nobles! I came home with about 30 book titles to request from the library…..Back to the hotel to get the luggage and then to Union Station. This time we spent a bit of time there shopping – not much to see, but it is a beautiful building. Back on the train for a 6:30 departure. Thankfully, this time it wasn’t freezing! The train left a bit late. Again, we slept well (but for Tom) and late. Thursday dragged a bit. While it’s nice to be able to relax, by then I think we all wanted to just be home. The late departure ended up resulting in a late arrival in New Orleans as well. And while I agree with Tom that it’s much less stressful to travel by rail, sometimes you just want to get there fast!
Overall, it was a great trip. I find each year that our trips are more enjoyable – Tom and I both “give” a bit more and minimize our “me first” attitudes. Our stubbornness comes through! The girls are at a great age for this sort of trip as well – interesting in almost all we saw, willing to try new things, but comforted by the familiar (Starbucks, Barnes & Nobles, CVS). Also nice to break it up with the farmhouse sandwiched between the city. And we got to see friends. Tom gets all the credit for arrangements – he truly is the best and I am most certainly blessed to have him in my life!
It all started on an early Tuesday morning, July 28th. We headed via taxi-cab to the AMTRAK terminal in New Orleans for the start of our adventure. VERY different from traveling by plane! virtually no line, you can take liquids on the train, luggage is included in the fare, the food is edible, and there's actually a bed to lie down in! Tom had arranged for 2 "roommettes" for us. Maggie and I shared, and Tom and Abby were across the hall from us. While the rooms were quite small (between 4'X7' and 5'X8'), there was enough room for us and our overnight luggage. We had the steward lower the upper bunk which allowed the girls to hang-out together. The lower bunk, during the day, folded up to be two seats facing each other with a fold-down table between them. For me, the only disconcerting part of the arrangement was the fact that the toilet was right next to the bed. Similar to an airplane toilet, although the lid was more solid and became the stepping off for the upper bunk. No privacy if you're at all squeamish to that! The sink was also interesting. It folded up and down and the only way to drain it was to fold it back in. But it was clean and the service was good. For me, the worst part was that it was awfully cold. I slept with 3 blankets, my pjs, a fleece, and Maggie's sweatshirt wrapped around my feet. My mom later found an article in her paper about AMTRAK travelling and there, the biggest complaint was about the lack of individual climate control in the rooms. We were fed 4 meals -- breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breakfast the next morning (although Maggie and I chose to sleep through breakfast). The best meal for me was the salad at lunch -- full of spinach and reasonable tomatoes. In any event, MUCH better than airplane food. The girls and I all slept very well. Tom is a lighter sleeper and found himself waking with each turn of the car. We passed by my parents at about 2am and I suppose I dreamed of them! In any event, it was a fun was to travel. We played lots of games, read, and chilled out. Relaxing and much less stressful than air travel.
We arrived in DC on Wednesday morning the 29th at Union Station. What a beautiful place! We didn't spend much time there, instead getting into a cab to the hotel. Our room wasn't ready, but we were able to store the luggage. This hotel room was a suite in Georgetown. We walked a bit from the hotel and caught the couble-decker bus for a tour. Saw the “major” sights and went back to the hotel for a bit of a rest. Maggie and I weren’t too interested in resting, so we went in search of room-snacks (this hotel had a kitchenette. Made it to Trader Jacks for some snacks, and headed to CVS for soft drinks. Somehow we passed the CVS despite the familiar markings and ended up at Starbucks. The line was far too long so we went back to Barnes & Nobles and had a coffee there. Found the CVS on the way back (it was almost across the street from the hotel – no telling HOW we missed it the first time!) and went back to the room. When we were all rested, we headed to Chinatown for dinner (I’d told Tom that two things would make me happy on the trip – semi-regular trips to a coffee shop and a meal in Chinatown). Ended up being my favorite meal of the trip – I had tofu with eggplant and peppers. We even managed the Metro on our first try. After dinner, we went for a bit of a walk and ended up at the Spy Museum which was fun. All sorts of spy-gear, Cold War information, War information, and present day stuff. At the onset we were all given a “Spy Identity” and quizzed at the end to see if we’d recalled the data on our cover. Made it more fun for the girls. Back to the hotel for a great night’s sleep.
On Thursday morning we attempted to tour the FBI but found (as we’d suspected) that it had been closed to tourists since 9/11. So we went to Ford’s Theatre and the house across the street where Lincoln died. The Ranger did a great job telling the story of what both Lincoln and Wilkes-Booth had done during the day and giving the details without being overly disgusting. I’d never been there and found it interesting. After that we headed to the Natural History Museum. Saw various animals but, for us, the highlight was the rocks and gems, and, of course, the Hope Diamond. I know I’ve been there before, but I was amazed at the size of the collection – you could spend hours just looking at all the rocks! Even had a meteor you could touch. But the true highlight of the day was dinner. Tom convinced the girls (particularly Abby) to try Ethiopian food. He and I had had it several times in Houston and found it tasty and fun to eat with the injera bread rather than utensils. The girls were skeptical, but willing. They ended up loving it, especially Abby. Always fun to eat with your hands, no?
Friday morning we headed to a French pastry shop in Georgetown for breakfast. One of the items on the list was a HUGE meringue. It was about 12”X4”X3”. Maggie likes the softer inner part best. Also had several other pastries and I was quite happy with my little “pot of coffee”. From there we headed to the National History Museum, home of various American memorabilia. The girls and I enjoyed the First Lady exhibit, including several gowns and other items from the first ladies. And I felt quite old as I realized that my daughters had no clue who Archie Bunker was or why his chair is so famous! Tom tells me I did a fairly good impersonation of Edith’s voice, however. They did like the ruby red slippers. Abby and I enjoyed the string instruments, particularly the violins. And we learned that Chelsea Clinton danced on pointe shoes as one pair of hers are on exhibit. Then it started to rain. And didn’t stop. So I went and bought ponchos – bright blue with “Smithsonian” all over them. We put them on and looked ridiculous. Tom had his backpack underneath and looked like a hunchback, I tied mine tight around my face, Abby looked like an Ewok as hers almost touched the ground. Thus Maggie was the “most fashionable” in our group! At least we were dry! Headed to see the Declaration of Independence and Constitution from there. Tom is in the process of confirming that a signer of the Declaration is a relative, so he pointed that out to the girls. I was happy that they were interested in the documents, rather than bored. For dinner we enjoyed Vietnamese food – GREAT to be in a city with a variety of cuisine!
Saturday morning we met a friend of mine from college to go to the Crime and Punishment museum. She lives in the area and we re-met on Facebook in the past year. I was glad to have found a museum that was new to her, rather than “making” her go back to re-visit one she’d been to. Since we also live in a tourist area, I recognize that it can be tiring always taking people to the same places you’ve been before! The museum was interesting and had an activity for the girls to do (more of the museums seem to do this – have a treasure hunt or something similar for the kids which allows the adults more time to actually read about the exhibits – whoever came up with this idea gets my applause!). Not only were there “old” crimes (such as Bonnie & Clyde), but also more recent ones. Apparently, the show “American’s Most Wanted” also films there and we got to see the set. We headed for lunch afterwards and then split up – my friend to a picnic, Tom and Abby to the hotel for a rest, and Maggie and I to the Science Museum. This was quite small, but they were having a “free” day for families and we decided to go. Learned a bit about weather, saw a self-contained water eco-system, and saw a great exhibit on the proper use and effects of antibiotics. She and I finished there, did a bit of window shopping, and had Thai food for dinner.
Sunday was a slower day. Tom and Maggie left early to pick up the rental car and went to visit a church. Abby and I slept in and then went to the Aquarium. This is quite a small and older attraction, but we enjoyed our time together! We also did a bit of shopping and met Tom and Maggie back at the hotel in the afternoon. We later headed to see Tom’s friends from high school at their house. I’ve met them before and we had an enjoyable evening with them. Nice to catch up with people, even if you don’t see them very often, no?
Monday morning we left the hotel and headed toward Luray, Virginia where we’d rented a farmhouse for a few days. My parents were meeting us there. We did meet up at the house, “moved” into our rooms, and relaxed a bit. Mom and Abby stayed at the hotel and the rest of us headed back to Luray (15 miles that took about 30 minutes each way) to pick up some food for dinner. On the way we saw a farmer’s stand and stopped to get fresh vegetables – they were GREAT! We ended up with a cantaloupe, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, yellow squash, peppers, and some jam. Then to the grocery where we got steak and fixings. Back to the house where we started cooking. I got put in charge of chopping veggies and it was hard to keep any for anyone else! The squash literally tasted like butter. And the tomatoes were as good as the ones my grandfather used to grow. GREAT meal! The girls entertained us with a show that evening --the first of several! These included “Are you smarter than a 4th graded?”, a Phase-10 championship, and “Who knows Abby Webb Best?”.
Tuesday we ended up heading down the Shenandoah River on canoes. While I adore my husband, we are both first-born stubborn people and aren’t very good at allowing anyone else to be “in charge”. Therefore, my dad, Maggie, and I shared a canoe while mom, Tom and Abby went in the other. The river was a bit low, so dad got in and out when we were grounded. But it really was fun. After that, dad and I headed (sweaty and somewhat wet) back to town to get something to make for dinner (our timing wasn’t really good – we slept in and relaxed, ended up eating junk for lunch on the river – e. g. what we bought at the outfitters – and were really hungry!). And the grocery didn’t carry rotisserie chicken. So we bought chicken breasts, and made barbecue. No one was too unhappy with the results, although I think we would have eaten just about anything by that time! Another show this evening!
Wednesday we headed to the Luray Caverns. WOW! These were really spectacular. Mom told us that my grandparents had visited them back in the 1930s – neat to know we’d been in the same place 80 years later. We ate lunch in town, and then mom and dad took the girls back while Tom and I picked up stuff for dinner – spaghetti night. One more show…….
Thursday was another day on the river, tubing this time. It’d rained the night before and there was an “aroma” about the house – let’s just say it smelled as though something was acting up with the septic system. The girls really liked tubing, although the trip was about 30 minutes longer than they really wanted and both got cut on rocks (nothing major, thankfully)! While we were all pooped at the end, dad and I went to the grocery (again in wet clothes – dad gets the award for hanging out in wet pants as I’d packed dry shorts and removed my bathing suit bottom). We got the quickest thing we could think to make for dinner – kielbasa, frozen veggies, and black beans. Thankfully everyone liked it (or, once again, were so hungry it didn’t matter!). Unfortunately, the aroma of the house got stronger…..
So, Friday morning we left a day early. Mom and dad had been planning on leaving Friday, but we did also. We believe the problem was with the set tub in the laundry in that the water in the trap evaporated. Tom and dad had finally identified that as perhaps the main source of the scent and, once water was run through that sink, it disappeared. Still, we did leave. On our way back we stopped at the extension to the Air and Space Museum near the airport where there are MANY more planes and aircraft. Enjoyed an IMAX film as well about fighter pilot training. Thankfully again, our hotel was able to allow us to stay an extra day, so we didn’t need to find alternative lodging for just one night. This hotel was in Arlington. We had dinner (most definitely NOT my favorite meal) at an Asian café. It was serviceable but not much else. We then took a taxi and saw the new (to us!) FDR memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.
Saturday Tom and Abby went to return the rental car. Maggie and I walked over the Key Bridge back to Georgetown to get Tom’s clothes from the hotel (he’d left them in the drawers there…..). We did a bit of shopping on the way, discovering a “hidden” shopping mall. I’d stained my white shirt, so bought another one as well as getting each of us another shirt. Tom’s clothes ended up being in a big shopping bag, so we decided to take the metro back to Arlington. However, we did decide to stop at another CVS for snacks and drinks for our room. Met with Tom and Abby and the hotel and headed to the zoo where we saw the pandas! It was REALLY hot outside, but we managed…..
Sunday morning we went to Arlington Cemetery in the hopes of beating the head – no luck there. We saw the newish Women in the Armed Forces memorial/exhibit which was quite interesting, including a short film on the history of women in the services in this country, from the War for Independence onward. Took the girls to see where JFK is buried, saw the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and saw the memorials to the Challenger and Columbia. With them is also a memorial to the people who attempted to liberate the American Embassy in Iran in the 1970s. After that we went to the Holocaust museum (talk about 2 depressing museums in on day!). It’s a powerful museum. Security is quite tight there now, after the unfortunate killing of a guard earlier this year. For the Ohioans out there, Les Wexner donated the moneys for the Learning Center at this museum. Then we headed to the Air and Space Museum for something more uplifting. We enjoyed a planetarium show as well as all the planes and spacecraft.
Monday morning the girls and I got pedicures. Then we headed to the Library of Congress and got to see Jefferson’s Library there. WOW! What an eclectic collection of books! From there we headed to the Supreme Court Building. We (of course) hadn’t seen the swearing in of Justice Sotomoyer, and court wasn’t in session, so it wasn’t the most interesting place, although lunch was pretty good! We then went to the postal museum. We did the exhibit on how targeted mailing works, the girls each sent themselves a postcard, and we watched a short film on how rail was used in postal delivery until 1977. We had Turkish food for dinner – Maggie liked it, Abby didn’t…….
Tuesday was our last full day. We went back to the pastry shop in Georgetown for breakfast. Tom then went to an antiquarian bookstore. We stayed there for about 10 minutes and then went wandering by ourselves. Maggie and I showed Abby the “hidden” mall and we window-shopped. We met Tom perhaps 2 hours later at Barnes & Nobles. He’d spent the entire time at the bookstore and purchased several items he’d had shipped home. We then headed to see the Lincoln and Vietnam Memorials. It was again QUITE hot, so we didn’t stay too long, particularly at the Vietnam one, although I pointed out my mom’s cousin’s name to the girls. Onward to the National Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. We enjoyed both of these a lot. In the Art Museum there was a piece of art by Mike Wilkins made up of license plates from each of the 50 states spelling out the preamble to the Constitution. Maggie and I got the t-shirt with this on the back. Abby got a book. That evening we had Afghani food for dinner – again it wasn’t Abby’s favorite, although the rest of us enjoyed it!
Wednesday Tom and Maggie went to the Botanical Gardens. Abby wasn’t interested and it wasn’t high on my “list” of things to do, so she and I went to Starbucks for breakfast and hung out at the hotel. We met back in the room and packed up, then had lunch at the hotel. It had cooled down, so we all walked back over the Key Bridge into Georgetown. I think by now we were museumed out, so we spent probably 2 hours looking at Barnes & Nobles! I came home with about 30 book titles to request from the library…..Back to the hotel to get the luggage and then to Union Station. This time we spent a bit of time there shopping – not much to see, but it is a beautiful building. Back on the train for a 6:30 departure. Thankfully, this time it wasn’t freezing! The train left a bit late. Again, we slept well (but for Tom) and late. Thursday dragged a bit. While it’s nice to be able to relax, by then I think we all wanted to just be home. The late departure ended up resulting in a late arrival in New Orleans as well. And while I agree with Tom that it’s much less stressful to travel by rail, sometimes you just want to get there fast!
Overall, it was a great trip. I find each year that our trips are more enjoyable – Tom and I both “give” a bit more and minimize our “me first” attitudes. Our stubbornness comes through! The girls are at a great age for this sort of trip as well – interesting in almost all we saw, willing to try new things, but comforted by the familiar (Starbucks, Barnes & Nobles, CVS). Also nice to break it up with the farmhouse sandwiched between the city. And we got to see friends. Tom gets all the credit for arrangements – he truly is the best and I am most certainly blessed to have him in my life!
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