October 19, 2001

Have had the greatest month!  My first birthday party, it was a surprise!! (I'm 54 and the one in the peach sweater)we went on a Riverboat cruise and had a blast!  Two high school friends (that was a day or two ago!) LeeAnn and Linda, Linda's daughter, Julie, my daughter, Stacy and my great daughter-in-law Lisa.  Then my wonderful friend, Kristy, took me to dinner and the best play I've seen in years!  Now I am on the vacation of a lifetime!  A free place to spend a week in Washington D.C and a round trip ticket for $139.50.  WOW!  You can CLICK on any of the colored underlined words to see pictures or links to information about the subject. Took United Express to San Francisco, just had time for a cigarette before boarding a United Air Bus to Baltimore Maryland.  The flight was great!  We had a hot meal (baked chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cookies) and they played the movie "Cats & Dogs".  After the movie we had T.V. and radio access throughout the trip.  My seat mate was a young man from Iran, just to add to my nervousness!  We had a pretty good tail wind, so arrived about a half hour early.  I arranged a Super Shuttle to Heather's place, bought a phone card, called Steve and went out for a smoke.  Only about a half hour wait and I was on my way!  Had a true BLONDE on the shuttle bus!  She brought her boyfriend three (3) pumpkins from home (New Jersey) and they were rolling all over the floor ~ but she was much too busy turning the driver's rear view mirror to see her hair to pick them up!  Think she was lucky not to walk to D.C.!!  So ~ got to Heather's a little after 10pm EDT and we walked to the store for Pepsi and water and chatted until we couldn't stay awake.  She lives in the University of California building in a nice little 2 bedroom apartment with 3 other girls.  Leticia, her roommate, Jessica & Carla.  Leticia's boyfriend is here from California this weekend and they are gone tonight, will meet her later.  I'm sleeping on the couch and think it will be just fine!!  Am very excited!  Heather & I made plans for an exciting day tomorrow, I can't wait!!

October 20, 2001

So much excitement!  Where to begin?  Heather and I got a later than planned start, about 10am ~ walked to the METRO, D.C.'s subway system and I had my first subway ride!  We changed trains one time and ended up at the "Mall".  No!   Not a shopping mall, The National Mall is the park from the Capital building to the Lincoln Memorial surrounded by Smithsonians. My first sighting of the Capital was from the Metro stop.   First stop of the day, The National Museum of American History.  So many highlights here -- "Old Glory" is being restored but we were able to see it in its' present state ~ this is the 15 star and 15 stripe flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner.  Saw Mohammed Ali's boxing glove, the china, crystal and silver of most of the Presidents, many First Ladies inaugural gowns, Edison's light bulb and phonograph, the shoes Judy Garland wore in the Wizard of Oz and on and on.  No way to see it all!  In 1829 an English Scientist, James Smithson, left all of his money to the United States, although he had never been here, to establish an institution for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge".  This site tells a little about him, but I read at the institute that he was very disappointed in the fact that England only educated Her rich and he thought everyone should have equal opportunity, therefore 90% of the Smithsonian is FREE! Next was the National Sculpture Gallery, which was basically beyond me, so on to the West building of the National Gallery of Art.  Having never been into art much, I went just to say I did ~ when suddenly I found myself surrounded by Monet, (Heather with The House of Parliament at Sunset), Van Gogh, Renoir, (more Renoir) DaVinci ~ OH MY!  I was so awe struck I could only stumble from room to room in a daze.  To be in the presence of such greatness was just unreal.  From there we wandered through a modern sculpture garden exhibit that just wasn't on my A-List -- a block of granite that looked like a wall, how interesting!  So we walked on to the Washinton Monument which is restored outside but closed as they work inside.  This view of Heather and me is from the Washington Monument.