I’m in Alexandria Virginia this week…tagging along with Doug while he attends a conference.  The hotel is free.  I promised him I wouldn’t eat much.  All we had to buy was my plane ticket.

This was my first official act upon touching down at Reagan National Friday evening in 80 degree weather, blue skies and no rain.   NO RAIN!!!!!!!

Of course, to get to the pecan waffle it took two hours of bumper to bumper driving to go about 25 miles south.  I used to think the worst drivers are in Oregon…but truly, they are here.  I don’t mean to offend, but the truth is the truth.

Saturday we toured old Fredericksburg, the battlefield and Chatham House… a private home used by union soldiers. 

And this, the long drive way by which famous generals, President Lincoln, Clara Barton and even poet Walt Whitman traveled up to Chatham House.  Whitman went there looking for, but not finding his brother….. and stayed awhile to help in “the surgery”.

………then the tone of our little visit changed a bit Sunday morning………..

  This is me waiting in the car …for the police …while Doug is outside arguing with the man who rear-ended us.  By the way, since I haven’t mastered taking pictures of my face without making my nose look disproportionately large, I’m logging my journey by foot.  Anyway, at that moment I was praying this would not be indicative of the rest of our week.  In the side view mirror I see the other man’s wife and elderly mother with their heads down.  I assume they are praying too….”please Lord, deliver us from these men-folk!”. 

The police arrive only to tell us they don’t file police reports on fender benders in private parking lots, suggest we exchange insurance info and go our way.  The other man said bad words to Doug and went his way.  Doug did not say bad words…very proud of him.  I told Doug not to worry….this rental car is already so banged up, one more dent won’t matter.  In fact, I’ve never seen a rental car like it ….it actually had band aids on it…little stickers that say “dent reported”.  Very weird.  And sure enough, back at rental return they didn’t even care.  Like I said….worst drivers are ……….

So after returning the car yesterday and checking into the hotel for this week’s adventures, we took Metro into D.C…. 

Here we are after walking across the Potomac River (we wisely decided to use the bridge) from Arlington to the Mall.  We thought we were dying, but water and a Snickers bar fixed us right up. 

I’m collecting pictures and stories for another day, pictures that are worth some thoughtful discussion….

 but in the meantime…………. 

    ….this is me on Monday morning.  I’m going to read a book and pretty much be a bum today.