Global Warming, my ass.

So we went to DC to see the Cherry Blossoms.  But we were a week late b/c they'd already peaked and the arctic winds had blown most of the blossoms off and into the Tidal Basin and the cold weather--with snow flurries!--had kept more from blooming.  Yet I had roses in January.  I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.  As you were!

Annnyway...Our neighbors joined us on our journey to the big city.  Having lived in DC (okay, Takoma Park, but close enough) I was all old-hand at it, but my compatriots managed to make it clear that we were from Frederick.  Poor Jerry gravitated to an old Fare Card machine where he was completely confounded by its refusal to give more than 5 dollars change or allow him to purchase more than one card.  It was just as well designed as you'd expect it to be, given it was a DC system.  The new machines are marginally more helpful, in that they do at least have a screen that gives you words to suggest that it knows you're there and trying to purchase something.  It has a novella's worth of text to tell you how to use it.  Very helpful to the non-English speaking population, I'm certain.  Luckily, everyone in the DC metro area had relatives on the Mayflower.  Once we finally got it to allow us to buy tickets, we had to get the turnstiles to let us through.  The kids jammed them in every which way (except the way with the arrow, I'd imagine) clogging up 3 or 4 lanes at once.  It really was magical.  Bev and I were busting a seam, laughing, the kids were perplexed, Jerry was just baaarely holding it together.  But we got on the train.  Every time we pulled out of a station, Lily'd say, "Mommy, can I pole dance now?!"  I thought it was pretty funny until it occurred to me that someone might think I'm one of those skanky housewives that think it's somehow cute and sexy to have a "pole" installed in my house to dance for "exercise." (and if you have one of those, and children, I'm sorry to have offended you, but not as sorry as I am that you did this)   Then I started saying, "Yes, you may dance around the pole when the train starts up again.




So, we got to DC, and wanted to eat lunch.  I usually eat lunch at the Old Post Office b/c there's a uncrowded food court in the basement.  But when we emerged from the Metro stop, there was a sign advertising a food court in the basement of the Ronald Reagan building which was right in front of us, so we opted to go there. I hoped my skin wouldn't blister in the atmosphere. We walk in the door and the guard asks to see our IDs.  Uh...we just want lunch?  Yeah, need to see IDs.  It finally dawned on me that they were talking driver's license, not a badge and we fumbled those out, after again feeling quite rube-y.  But still, damn.  The food was overpriced, the venue crowded, but we were fed.

Okay!  Where are those trees?  We head for the Washington Monument, and see that we are about a week late.  Grr.  Anyway, the kids were immediately distracted by a steam vent beside the monument.  There was this big crowd of kids leaping in and out of the steam and squealing happily when a big burst came out and running up on the grate when it subsided.  It was clear that this would be what many of them remembered as the Best Thing about their trip to DC.  I was reminded of my post card home to my dad from a vacation (at about age 7) in the Smokey Mountains.  It went something like "We're having a good time.  Justin pooped in the closet.  I went swimming and almost drowned. Love, Deana."  You just can't plan a kid's memories.



Then, as we headed from the Monument toward the Reflecting Pool, they found an air vent.  More big fun:



We had to go through the new World War II memorial to get to the Lincoln Memorial.  I'd never seen it before.  It's pretty.  Not terribly inspiring, but pretty.  Here are the kids, peeing into the pool:



Here we all are, posing as the spineless, sightless, and insane Democratic party:



Then I forced the kids to climb all 88 steps from the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial.  And, of course, told them that it's really funny to stand at the top of the steps and say, "I had the strangest dream..."  They, for their part, made jokes to the effect of "I knew he was tall, but wow!" and "I bet his boogers could drown you."  Respectful.  That's what I'm going for.

Julianna was beginning to get very annoyed that we had not yet  immersed ourselves in what meager blossoms we could find.  So we headed over to a small grove that still had a few flowers on them. I tried not to be bitter about the fact that I hadn't been able to dress the kids in cute spring clothes to pose among the blossoms and snapped a few pictures:





I'm sure you can guess which photo is my favorite.

We worked our way around the Tidal Basin and came to the FDR memorial.  I'd never seen it and I really, really liked it.  It was well designed, friendly, pretty, and --if you aren't chasing a bunch of kids around--thought provoking.  Much better than the WWII, which just seemed to shoot for Grand, and only achieved Boring.  There are several waterfalls and lots of big rocks to climb.  And, of course, the Bread Line sculpture:


Always respectful.  That's us.  "Go get in the line and look hungry!  It'll be hilarious!"

I think this will be my official press photograph:



It was part of a larger bit of sculpture that Julianna asked to have her picture taken in.  She is slumped and sullen as part of the effect.  Because she's my little hippie child.


If your screen is too dark, you might not see that the word on the stone behind her is "war."   There were a couple "I hate war" sculptures.  I presume that FDR said that at some point and it isn't just editorial on the part of the designers. 

Ben beside a pool that I'd just told him he could not toss that stick into...



As we headed from FDR toward the Jefferson Memorial, we hit another patch of trees that still had blossoms and I took some MORE photos, b/c dammit, I was getting some cherry tree pictures:



As we headed on to the Jefferson Memorial, I vowed that my heart would actually have to stop at the beauty of the sight before I took any more pictures, so that's it for the photo journey.  Ben had long since passed crabby and was well on his way to unbearable, so we sat for a bit and watched some Indian (Ghandi, not Tonto) dancing in front of the Jefferson Memorial.  Lily, as usual, could have watched all day.  Damned shame we have no Hindu blood.  Janet, will you take her?  Then we headed toward the Metro again, stopping for ice cream, as you do when it's 50 degrees and windy.  Jerry and I were thrilled to find that we had no parking tickets and that there was very little traffic on the way home.  Good day all around, in spite of the paltry flower count!

Tags: DC cherry blossoms