D.C. Trip - Cakes, Coasters, and a Cemetery

Court, Anna, and my trip to Nashville last year was inspired by my decision that I should not have to stay home and work while Jim goes on his annual surf trip to mainland Mexico.  He vacations; I vacation.  The stars aligned this year:  Jim's surf trip coincided perfectly with Pod's ACTEC meetings in Washington, D.C.  Family members from different places uniting?  I had to go, too. 

Dolly Who is So Cute (yes, we really call her that) and I flew out of San Diego shortly after noon on Friday, October 12.  Jim's flight to Mexico left L.A. around midnight, so he was able to take us to the airport.  Jim got me to the sky cap with our stuff, so I didn't have to lug everything in.  I was so worried about traveling alone with Little One.  Turns out if you want your faith in humanity restored, you should travel alone with an infant.  People were so nice.  Two different ladies (one of whom appeared a tiny bit crazy) helped me get Chao Lin (from "Chavalyn") in the Baby Bjorn in the airport.  One man offered to carry my diaper bag.  A young lad on the plane helped me get a bag down from the overhead compartment during the flight.  Everyone near me was very nice and understanding, and they all told me afterward how great Dolly was.  (I tried to lay the groundwork for sympathy in the very beginning by telling the first guy who sat in my row how nervous I was and how I was going to try my hardest to make the flight as painless as possible for him.)  I had gone shopping for new toys and snacks to bust out on the plane.  A few things worked a little.  Snacks were very helpful.  Mostly she just dropped the other items repeatedly into other people's space.  The hardest part was getting her to sleep.  I had to put her in the Bjorn and stand and bounce and bounce and bounce forever to get her to sleep for a mere 30 minutes.  (Good sleepers = bad elsewhere sleepers, I hear.  Plus there was so much to look at!)  The short nap got her through, though. 

We arrived in D.C. after 8:00 P.M., and Bagger Vance picked us up and took us to her place.  (The parentals had arrived a few hours before.)  She fed me a sandwich and then fed us all (minus Dolly) possibly the most amazing cake I've ever had, in honor of my recent 35th birthday (ew I'm getting old).  The layers, from the bottom up, were as follows:  chocolate chip cookie; cookie dough ice cream; chocolate cake; cookie dough ice cream; ganache; and a ring of cookie dough balls around the top. 

All lit up:

I'm so old (or weak lunged) that I couldn't blow out all the candles at once:

The masterpiece, with layers displayed:

Mamo decided that she wanted to ride roller coasters while we were there, so Saturday we went to an amusement park called King's Dominion.  Apparently Mamo and Papo remember it from their old D.C. days, and Bags went recently and was talked into buying a season pass.  Dolly was less than thrilled to be there:

We hit up a little store for Dramamine as soon as we entered the park.  The parentals and I all took some, which we regretted as soon as it kicked in.  It made us all feel weird and tired and kind of out of it.  It's hard to explain, but it was not good.  We didn't end up going on any twirly rides so may not have had any motion sickness anyway.  Next time we'll know better. 

Mamo and Papo rode the ferris wheel while waiting for the Dramamine to kick in.  They're in the third car from the bottom, and you can tell because of their hats:

We took turns riding rides and watching Dalai.  There were fun roller coasters, and it was a lovely day.  For formerly pretending to have a fear of heights, Bag Lady's fearlessness was impressive.  There is no ride she won't go on.  Those trapeze lessons really changed her life. 

Sunday the righteous went to Stake Conference.  I stayed back so that Dalai could nap.  Friday and Saturday nights were rough; she had to cry for a long time before falling asleep.  I have to assume it was because she was overtired from missing a couple of days of naps, although the new place may also have contributed.  Sunday eve, Bags made a feast consisting of Christian's roast, Anna's french bread, (fake) ambrosia salad, green salad, and a new mint chocolate cake (because heaven forbid we finish off the first cake before we make another).  She invited a couple of her favorite friends over to eat with us and the roommates.  The food was delish, and it was fun to meet everyone. 

Monday the plan was to let Dalai take her morning nap and then head to Lincoln's cottage.  We realized as we were leaving that we were going to have time to kill before the next cottage tour, so we decided to squeeze in a trip to Arlington Cemetery first.  That place makes me cry, especially where so many super-young boys are buried.  It was beautiful, though, and we enjoyed the changing leaves. 

The JFK area:

Eternal flame:



The view from Robert E. Lee's house:

We went quickly through the Lee house:

I didn't realize the connection between the Washingtons and the Lees.  Martha and George Washington raised her grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, at Mount Vernon after the death of his father (Martha's son by her first husband).  G.W.P. Custis lived with his wife, Molly, at the house in Arlington Cemetery.  To prepare the slaves for eventual emancipation, she established the tradition of educating them in both secular and religious matters.  Molly convinced G.W.P. Custis to free the slaves in his will.  Their daughter, Mary Custis, married Robert E. Lee.  Did I get that right? 

After that we headed to the tomb of the unknown soldier.  The walk through the cemetery was gorgeous:

Here I am making fun of the way Dolly always holds her hands up - possibly to feel the wind she so enjoys (although she's not really doing it much in this picture):



We got to the tomb in perfect time for the changing of the guard.  These guys take the "moonwalk" to a whole new level.  The precision is amazing. 



After our visit, we read a little bit about the guards.  I can't believe that they're out there overnight in the winter for two hours at a time, through storms and everything else.  The training they go through is intense.  They spend an average of six hours getting their uniforms ready for the next day's work.  The tomb guard badge is the second least-awarded decoration of the military (the first being the Army Astronaut Badge).  If they ever engage in conduct unbecoming a tomb guard, the badge can be taken away at any time.  As of early 2002, nine had been revoked.  Who knew?

After the changing of the guard, we took a peek at the amphitheater.  I want to know what goes on there, if anything.  Bags has not suddenly grown very tall but is on a step:



Then we headed back to the car.  I enjoyed the gray sky and cool headstones/monuments:

 

And I loved the colored trees.  Fall in the East is my favorite:

We decided to get some food (Good Stuff Eatery for delicious burgers and shakes) and head home to miss traffic, leaving Lincoln's cottage for another day.  We enjoyed a rousing game of Vicious Gin that evening - one of my very favorite Hastings traditions.