My Iran Exhibit

Last week we decided it was time to finally take the metro in to town. We moved to northern Virginia in April from Capitol Hill. I promised my husband we would take metro every once in awhile. I never liked it and rarely used it when we lived in DC. He loves it. So we drove the car to the McLean station parking lot and boarded on to the silver line. The main reason for the trip was to see the “My Iran” photography exhibit at the Sackler Gallery. So we started at the Capitol South metro stop in our old neighborhood and walked through our favorite places - the US Botanical garden and along the mall past the Air and SpaceMuseum, the Hirshhorn gardens, the Smithsonian Castle gardens and on to the gallery. Needless to say neither one of us was impressed with what we saw. In fact, one of our friends said my photos from Iran were probably so much better! I think she was right. Anyway, it was a good experience to take the train, walk around familiar places, and get back home in short order. Next time we will probably take the bus to the train station rather than drive. The bus stop us right in front of the house. The only catch is that the weather needs to be right and we don’t have a specific time or appointment to get somewhere - and it always needs to be before or after rush hour. 

Library of Congress Kluge Center Program on the Middle East

It’s feels really good to visit the city we lived in for thirteen years. In fact, it feels so much better since we moved away on this two month anniversary. It’s only ten miles away, and we plan our activities around rush hour and other events that clog up the streets. Yesterday we drove in to town for a late afternoon Kluge Center program at the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. I always like to visit there as a tourist rather than as an employee. I worked there for ten years and am very happy that I did. The building is simply beautiful and so impressive every time we see it. We were a little early and checked out a couple of the exhibits first, then went to a lovely conference room to hear about the US and the Middle East - the future of a complex relationship. I try to find programs that my husband would have more of an interest in than myself. It’s a great opportunity for an outing and maybe learn a thing or two. I’m still amazed how no one has yet seemed to master using a microphone as the sound is always so poor! But I like to go for the purpose of going so it hardly matters. It’s nice to be familiar with and be able to navigate the city comfortably. After all, it still feels like home without the hassle of living in it. 

Nowruz at the Freer Sackler Gallery

On the south side of the house the sun is bright and the hydrangea are starting to bud; on the north side is a pile of snow and sidewalks still covered in ice. I much prefer the former. Yesterday was finally warm enough to walk to the Freer Sackler Gallery to check out the Nowruz event. To me it represents Spring, and to my husband a lot more since he grew up with this tradition. We have gone to see it at least five times since we moved here. At first it was interesting because it was fresh and new, and our grandson was young enough to participate in the kids stuff - like story telling and face painting. Now it is just crowded, kids are screaming, and it's too hot - and we are nine years older. It is something to do, but I much prefer going to the Mall when the crowds are sparse and at my own pace. Well, this is not the time of year for that. From this point forward the city gets very congested and cherry blossoms are right around the corner. In many ways it's really nice to be able to just walk outside and take in all these sights at our leisure. We used to fly in from Milwaukee for this and other events and holidays. The birds reminded us this morning that they wanted their birdbath set up again when they started fluttering around the patio. Spring is here and I really like it. And if there is an event to celebrate it? I'm all for it regardless of the crowds. 

Abudhabi

Most of our friends like to travel. We don't. And when we do, we always go to destinations where we know someone on the other end. Maybe that is why we feel the way we do because we have been to Iran, Denmark, England, and France. One of our nieces/family may be moving to Australia. We also have relatives in New England, Florida, and California and friends in Wisconsin, where we lived for thirty years. But we get to be a part of any trip our friends take. Either by postcard - we recently received one from Viet Nam - or by way of a souvenir. And so it was the case yesterday when we went out for dinner with a friend who just returned from Abudhabi. I would be very hard pressed to take a fourteen hour plane ride for just a few days visit. I am more inclined to watch the highlights on TV, and the pictures they take, from my comfortable living room sofa. But I am neither an adventurer nor an interested party. The yellow bag from Abudhabi says to have a nice stay, and the contents were Hazerbaba, a crispy almond treat, and a scarf of many colors. What I liked the most was the post card that was sent after the visit and postmarked from the Capitol City - Washington DC. We think it may have been purchased at the Sackler Gallery gift shop. It hardly matters because it is the thought that counts. Thanks so much for thinking of us!