Home again

We are back home after our 2.5 day visit to Washington. I vowed a year or so ago that I wouldn't make that drive again, but I tolerated it this time because McKenzie was with us and we managed to make it bearable -- playing rounds of Alphabet and Numeric DJ on the way down, and a rousing game of "I'm going on a picnic and I'm taking ___" on the way home. The former involves passing a phone around the car and picking a song that starts with A, then B, and you get the pattern. Same with numbers. So first person picks a song with one in it somewhere, then two, etc. Here are the picnic items, alphabetically: "I'm going on a picnic and I'm taking an aardvark, a babushka, cookies, a danish, an elephant, a fly, Greta, ham, an igloo, jam, a kite, Lincoln, McKenzie, a napkin, orange jello, a picnic basket, a quetzal, Riana (McKenzie's sister), strawberries, toilet paper, an umbrella, a viola, watermelon, a xylophone, a yak, and the entire island of Zanzibar. 

As for the rest of the trip, we had a blast. With Aunt Kathy's Ballston condo now on the market, we had to fend for ourselves when it came to lodging and Carey found a pretty great deal in the Shaw neighborhood, about a 15-min walk from Dupont Circle. A homeowner with a three-story townhouse Airbnbs a room with a bathroom on the lower level, lives on the middle floor, and rents the top one. Our accommodations were relatively spartan, but the shower worked and it came with a parking space.

The "master" bed

And the pullout couch

Wednesday we took a formal tour of American with the admissions department, then canceled our George Washington tour because Lincoln knew it was not going to beat out AU, then walked and shopped Georgetown, then met up with Greta and two of her friends (Hannah and Ella) at an Italian restaurant on the waterfront for dinner, then showed McKenzie Iwo Jima at night. Thursday Lincoln and McKenzie visited the O Museum where Greta worked last year, then met up with us for visits to the Smithsonian American History Museum and the Holocaust Museum, followed by a jazz concert in the courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery, and dinner with my college pal Dudley and his wife Jen at an Indian restaurant near AU.

All of this essentially buries the lead, which is that Lincoln will be joining his sister at American University next fall! We are very proud of him for making a decision and happy that both our children will be in the same place, continuing to learn and grow.

Here are some photos of the trip in no particular order.

The same rich man who paid to have his name on the Kogod School of Business at AU also endowed the courtyard at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, where we listened to the jazz group Take Five from 5-7pm on Thursday.

Taking a break on campus. It's only a 3-hour-ish train or bus ride from DC to NYC!

Heading to lunch on Wednesday we ran into American University President Jonathan Alger, who was meeting another student for lunch. He was kind enough to pose for a photo, but did not offer a BOGO discount on tuition.

Striding down Rhode Island Avenue, where our Airbnb was located.

Lincoln's proud of this artsy shot, but says my orange glasses look like something a cat threw up.

Reflecting in the Holocaust Museum

A wishing fountain outside the former USAID building. Guess what we wished for?

The classic shot from Freedom Plaza down Pennsylvania Avenue.

No big deal, just jamming on a replica of Prince's "Yellow Cloud" guitar from the film "Purple Rain" (later painted peach for the album cover of "Sign O' the Times")

These two really seem to like each other! Spending four entire days together, including hours in the car, did not drive a wedge between them!

Shame only Greta knows where the camera is on an iPhone.

0.5 of Hanna and of Greta's lips, as everyone but me enjoyed cookies from Levain Bakery in Georgetown.

As usual, D.C. is a few weeks ahead of Albany when it comes to Spring.

The name I gave the lunch lady at AU.

Top floor of the AU School of International Service, where Greta spends a lot of time.

Two Eagles, both of whom need haircuts.

Fresh and hot Krispy Kremes on the street!