Duddington Place

Sometimes we need to park the car further down the street than usual, so we aim for a spot along Duddington. A lot of folks around here liken this street and stretch of neighborhood to "Celebration" - the Disneyland community built in Florida. We are told that it is occupied primarily by yuppies, no children, and kept relatively "pristine." This narrow street is one way, and it does actually look like something out of a storybook. We did look around here before we moved, but decided we were not interested in a single family home with stairs- especially since we are not very handy and don't want the burdens that that sort of home ownership brings. The one advantage is that you could have any kind of dog you wanted, which is not the case in a condo. All in all, we are satisfied with our choice, but as with anything, some things are more important than others. And street parking is the norm for most folks around here regardless of the neighborhood. We do miss our 100 pound borzoi and our 2 car garage.

The recently closed  House of Rep page school living quarters
at the end of the block

A hybrid tree- pink and white

Street parking is the norm

Very quaint

Well manicured

House Page School

Yesterday was supposed to be the last day that the House Page School would be open. The program has been in existence for 184 years. There are usually 70 high school juniors that participate in it each semester. They are each paid $1800 per month and the whole program costs $5 Million a year. The reason we have noticed the change is because we don't see the pages walking back and forth to the House Office Buildings in the morning or evening. They always walked in large groups and wore a uniform that looked a lot like the one I wore in high school- pleated skirt and blue blazer- regardless of the season. The other interesting point is that the page school residence is within a stone's throw of where we live. I wonder what will become of the building? It sits on prime real estate, but I'm certain the building and grounds belong to the Architect of the Capitol. Things have changed dramatically in 184 years....a lot can now be learned by watching C-span, and it is a lot cheaper. The only question I have is that if the reason it was closed was because it was too expensive, why doesn't the same thought process work for the Senate Page School, which remains open? There is a distinct difference between the House and the Senate- even in the Capitol Visitor Center. The furniture accents on the Senate side are rich, dark mahogany wood and the accents on the House side are white and a light color I don't know what. What's good for the goose is also good for the gander.... but not in all instances. 

The House Page residence sits on prime real estate