A Little More Travelogue

After our lengthy visit to the cathedral, we started home and as we approached the Air Force Memorial near the Pentagon Chris said he was going to get off at that exit and take some pictures so that's what we did.  It was completely overcast by now and getting on toward sundown, but the memorial looked wonderful under those conditions too.  I love this memorial - to me it speaks exactly to what it is meant to portray.  The memorials in the Mall are all wonderful and much better known, but this one is mostly seen as one is whizzing by on I-395 and, at least for me, it's always kind of a "wow" moment.  So, I took pictures too, of course, again with my phone, and here are the ones I've decided to post.

Isn't it beautiful?!

The contrails sculpture is based in a large area paved with marble and with an inscribed marble wall behind this group of four airmen.

This is my attempt at an "arty" shot...

And last, I wanted to try and give an impression of the size of these three pieces.

So then, it was back to the apartment and play with all the pictures we had taken.  On the way home, though, we had to stop at a nearby Home Goods store cause Chris still needed to get Sophia a birthday present (will we ever get done shopping in this family?!)  Sunday we just hung out until it was time to drive up to Heather's.  She had just returned from a turn-around flight to and from Seattle to pick up Johnny following his Christmas visit with his dad.  She had planned on bringing back fresh seafood from the Pike Street Fish Market but they were closed.  So we decided we'd do a raclette for dinner instead.  January and Maggie didn't get back from North Carolina in time to get to Heather's but we went ahead and got Christmas presents exchanged between those who hadn't exchanged presents yet.  And, of course, with Sophia and Johnny in on it, it was all the more hectic and fun.   They are dear, good grandkiddies.  And, wonder of wonders, one of my presents was the rolling stand I've been wanting for my magnifying lamp ever since Chris bought that for me I think the Christmas before last.  Hopefully, I will now be inspired to start stitching up a storm when I get back home.

Chris went back home that evening and I stayed on at Heather's until Tuesday when she drove me back down to Chris's apartment.  Oh, and I almost forgot!!  Monday was Sophia's fifth birthday (I made a special post for that) and so that evening we had her birthday party and January and Maggie came up for that and to exchange their Christmas presents with Heather, Alex and the kids.  Then after dinner and the ice cream cake (yummm!), Sophia got to open her birthday presents.  This has been the most present opening week of my entire life, I think!  I took a couple of pictures of Sophia in her (as she calls it) "birthday dress".  She does love the glitz!  (That's the little crown we made together.)

The birthday princess...

joined by her favorite knight, Johnny.

And that is pretty much my Christmas 2010 (overflowing into 2011).  It was a nice one from beginning to end - the extra treat of January and Maggie coming to Huntington, the non-stop mini-Christmases with Chris, Heather and her family, the special sight-seeing, lots of good food - just a great holiday.  Now, I am just on hold til it's time to take the train back to Huntington - can't wait to see my little roomette!!  And I hope I can get a decent picture or two out the windows, although I tried that in Italy and wasn't successful...