D.C. Day Two

This post is still being brought to you live from our nation's capitol, 87.2 miles of which I walked yesterday. This morning when I stood up for the first time (awakened at 6:21 by a massive clap of thunder--and of course I have no umbrella) my feet both chorused, "Oh, hell to the no. We are not doing that again."

I met some very lovely native D.C. residents on my travels, especially the firefighters who directed us to Stoney's last night at 10:00 p.m. The downtown area completely rolls up the carpet and shuts itself down at about 9:00 during the week, so we were walking around endlessly, looking for somewhere, anywhere, to grab dinner. Our earlier dinner was of the liquid variety because we were just too hot and tired to eat. We finally found the place (after another 13 block hike) and enjoyed yummy burgers.

We spent yesterday walking to the National Mall, where we looked at the same monuments we'd seen the night before. Amazing. I've taken so many pictures. Was moved to tears a few times--by the sheer magnitude of the Vietnam Veternans Memorial. I took a picture of the name Larry E. Collier, because that's my uncle's first and last name, and thanked God that it was not MY Larry Collier up there on that wall. Then I said another prayer for the family of THAT Larry Collier and another prayer of thanks for his service. Cried buckets again at the WWII memorial and prayed that my kids would never have to serve and tears of thanks that others did.

Then we walked all through the American History Museum. And I mean ALL through it. Cried again when I saw a steel support structure from the 70th floor of the WTC's second tower. At that point I could completely understand the war on terrorism because looking at that twisted piece of steel filled me with a venomous rage and made me want to go kick some butt. The difference between that exhibit and the war memorials hit me because those people in NYC on that September day had no idea what was coming. They were just going about there daily lives, dropping the kids of at daycare or grabbing a Starbucks when disaster struck. They didn't sign on for that. Ugh. I was really pissed off looking at that hunk of metal.

Oops, my group is waiting in the lobby. More later....