An afternoon in Washington

After our morning in Arlington we went back to the subway and rode across the Potomac getting off at the Smithsonian stop and headed for the National Air and Space Museum. I've always wanted to take my husband there, so it was a dream come true. The Milestones of Flight Gallery has hundreds of original, historic artifacts on display, including the Wright 1903 Flyer.

After suffering thru a loud lunch at McDonalds at the museum with hundreds of school children on field trip we saw the movie 'To Fly' at the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater. For me seeing Sputnik 1 (1957) which was the first artificial satellite was a thrill. I remember my parents taking us out in the backyard and pointing it out as it passed over our house one night. And seeing the Lockheed Vega 5b flown by Amelia Earhart was another great thrill since she's always been my heroione

Milestones of Flight Gallery
On May 21, 1927 Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St Louis on the First Nonstop Solo Transatlantic Flight

Lockheed Vega 5b flown by Amelia Earhart
There are donation boxes throughout the museum and it was interesting to see all the foreign currency in this one.
One of the many space capsules the museum has.
On our way to the subway we passed this carousel.
Near our hotel in the Morgan-Adams district are these pretty painted row houses.
The view by day from our hotel of the National Cathedral.

The view by night from our hotel room where we could see the dome of the capital and the Washington Monument.


After the weekend we were headed home. Originally this was the Washington National Airport and was renamed the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in 1988. Built in 1941 it's a beautiful airport and has some great shops.

Photos by Adana.

Wednesday Morning in Washington

We were up early on our play day and out the door and down the hill to grab some breakfast and off to the Metro station and out to Arlington Cemetery. The Wardman Park Hotel is the largest hotel in Washington DC and it sits on 16 lush acres, has 1335 rooms, has the largest ballroom in the city and is a short walk from the National Zoo. While we were there they had the Federalist Society Dinner and as we came back from dinner at DuPont Circle the limos were bringing the big dogs from the White House and the Supreme Court to the front door of the hotel.


During my first visit to Washington in 1964 my father drove right into Arlington cemetery and parked the car and we stood in line that hot August day waiting to see JFKs grave (how well I remember). But now it's much more controlled, and this way they can squeeze bucks out of you by making you buy a ticket and ride the tourmobile (if you don't choose to walk into the cemetery). Time being of the essence we gave up the bucks and rode. First stop was at JFKs gravesite, which has changed tremendously since 1964 and then with about 3 minutes to spare we arrived at the Tomb of the Unknown to see the change of guard, which is always fascinating to see.

The Tourmobile bus

The price of freedom.

Arlington House (or what I've always called the Lee Mansion). You can read more about the house at the link below.

I find the history of the house and Robert E. Lee fascinating, but I've always felt the Union Army put the screws to General Lee by burying soldiers in his front yard. Who would want to return to a house where they've done that?

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/historical_information/arlington_house.html

From the grave of JFK you can look into Washington DC at the back of the Lincoln Memorial across the Arlington Memorial Bridge that crosses the Potomac River.

The plaza below the gravesite for JFK and family

The memorial to the Challenger mission crew.
The memorial to the Columbia mission crew.



The amphitheatre in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Fall in Arlington Cemetery.

Audie Murphy was the most decorated combat soldier of WW2.

The Change of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown

Photos by Adana

District of Columbia in November

Another year, another annual conference. This time we were in DC for the week. So much to see, so little time and this trip I was bringing the spousal unit with for his first visit to DC. My first DC visit was in 1964, (I was 13) the summer after JFK was killed when my family stopped there on the way to NJ to visit a cousin and his wife and their new baby. My father and my two youngest children and I drove out east and visited DC one hot August day in 1992. In 2003 I was there twice for conferences, and luckily visited the Holocaust Museum with my my work cohort Stephanie during the December 03 visit as it was not high on the list for my husband to see. But taking him to the Air & Space Museum has always been at the top of my wish list and I've wanted him to see Arlington Cemetery, since his two youngest children have been there, and see the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown. The highlight for me this trip was seeing the new WW2 Memorial and the Giant Panda's at the National Zoo. Mama Mei Xiang and her son Tai Shan, which means Peaceful Mountain (born 7/9/05) put on quite a show for us.

Mei Xiang eating a fruit pop and Tai Shan exploring.

Smithsonian National Zoo Giant Panda Exhibit








Now back to the start of the trip. We hit the ground running since our plane was late getting in. We took the shuttle to the Wardman Park Marriott, checked in, dropped bags and hopped the Metro to the Smithsonian station. We walked the west end of the Mall from near the Castle to the Lincoln Memorial and back, and by then it was getting dark and time to be off the Mall.
The Washington Metro
The Smithsonian Castle
The Washington Monument at dusk.
The World War II Memorial is a beautiful tribute.
Quote by Douglas MacArthur on the WW2 Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial from the WW2 Memorial.
This is it, where Forrest met Jenny (in Forrest Gump).
The Lincoln Memorial
The Washington Monument from the Vietnam Memorial.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Photos by Adana

In the Spirit of Gilmore Girls

You probably had to catch the promo for next weeks show to really get that Girlmore Girls reference...I'm not a fan, but the oldest DD was over so we watched it. (OK, I'll admit it's funny, if you understand who everyone is). Anyway, they celebrate Christmas on the Girlmore Girls next week. Perhaps they forgot to change the calendar or they pray to a different god, who knows.

Anyway, it's no secret that I'm the original SCROOGE and I detest Christmas Trees, but here is the tree I put up this year with the oldie moldie decorations I found in the basement. They really weren't moldie, but they were sure old. Some old needlepoint ornaments I made years ago, beaded ornaments I made when DH and I were first married (35 yrs ago). There's also some embroidered ornaments, felt ornaments, a yarn Santa and some new glass ornaments (2 were mermaids) DH bought this year just to balance it out. The poinsettia plants under the tree were a nice touch. Anyway, everything UGLY went on the tree this year.

Tut and Sue at the Field

On December 18th my daughter, husband and I drove to University Park and rode the Metra into Chicago and visited the Field Museum to see the King Tut Exhibit that was ending on December 31. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.

Hubby and I saw Tut in 1977ish when the daughter was almost 3 and I remember that exhibit as crowded but fantastic. It included the piece that would become an icon, his solid gold death mask. That piece is missing from the current show (Egyptian officials won't let it leave the country) but there were plenty of other gems to see. The allure endures.

The bonus was seeing Sue, the T-Rex. She's an amazing acquisition of the Field Museum and something that my grandson is dying to see. The museum wasn't terribly crowded, and was fantastically festive. We were lucky the windy City wasn't all that windy or cold for our quick in and out.

Learn more about Sue: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/sue/




This Pterosaurs soars above Sue at the entrance to the museum.

Photos by my daughter Sarah

Christmas 2006

Bryce got LeapFrog for Christmas.

My mother the baby hog

How my father loves that baby. Christmas Eve Breakfast 2006

All my children.....Emily with Bryce, Colin and Sarah with Tanner

My girls Emily (the mom) and Auntie Sarah

Bryce and the jolly fat man

Tanner and the jolly fat man

Tanner at 6 mo. Emily bought this blue outfit in 1994 when she was 12 years old for our friends 4 month old son Kieran when she was in Tartu Estonia on a Sister City exchange . Now both of her boys have worn it.

He so loves that shirt we got him at the Field Museum.

What are you looking at???????

Look at the pictures below and decide what it is you think you're looking at.

These pictures were taken at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington DC (the largest hotel in DC). I attended a conference there in mid-November 2006. I also attended a conference there in December 2003, but they learned something from that conference and this year they turned this particular men's room into a ladies room. What you're looking at is how they draped the urinals. Very Classy!!!!