Kluge Center Author Salon Candice Millard and Garfield

We like to go to the events at the Library of Congress. I worked there for ten years and it is very comfortable for us to go to DC to catch the programs. The only difference is now we have to drive in from northern Virginia rather than walk two blocks from our old condo on Capitol Hill. Yesterday we went to the Jefferson Building to hear Candice Millard talk about her book about President Garfield called “Destiny of the Republic.” Of all the programs we have been to at the Library, this was one of the best. The exchange between author and moderator was practically seamless and the love she had of the subject was so obvious. The time flew by. On the way out we saw the Librarian Carla Hayden who was obviously there for an evening event  - a lot of people were arriving in evening attire. Rather than get caught up in rush hour traffic we strolled along Pennsylvania Avenue in this very familiar neighborhood and stopped in at Hawk and Dove to catch a bite. Afterwards we walked back to our old neighborhood and ran in to a neighbor who still lives in our condo building and also happens to work at the Library. We caught up on things and finally headed back to the car. We do miss our Capitol Hill neighborhood, but not the 1890’s building. You could say we now have the best of both worlds. 

JETech iPad Mini 3 Case

First we went to the Apple store on one of our morning walks at Tyson’s Corner Mall. I wanted to replace my husband’s very old iPad mini 3 cover because it was shredded and not even holding the device in the case any more - so much so that the iPad fell out and the corner was dented. But when I checked on line at the Apple store I couldn’t figure out if the cases they had would fit the old mini 3 - hence, the reason for the visit. And I was right - the cases they had were suited only for the latest models. Since we needed a couple of items anyway, I checked Amazon to see what they might have. I found a similar case from JETech made for this model. And it was really cheap compared to any apple case. When it arrived I was happy to finally replace the old beat up cover. The case looked the same, but obviously it was not the same. It was much lighter and flimsier, but does the job. Until my husband decides to replace his current mini, this is good enough to get him through for at least a little while longer. 

Giant Flu Shots

After going for our usual morning walk in the park we drove over to the Falls for a Greek lunch at “Our Mom Eugenia.” It’s always a really pleasant drive to and from the restaurant, and the food is delicious. We always order a full dinner to take home aside from our lunch. It’s also getting to be time for flu shots, so rather than wait until October we also decided it would be a good idea to get that out of the way. I checked the Giant website yesterday to make sure the shots were available, and they were. I also learned that the neighborhood Giant was open twenty four hours except the pharmacy closed at ten. And, since we needed to pick up some bread, we could get both errands done. I didn’t think it would be very busy at one pm in the afternoon on a Tuesday - but it was. There was a steady stream of customers picking up prescriptions and also getting flu shots. There is something funny about going to a grocery store to get a shot. But honestly, I much prefer going there than to the doctor office. At least you don’t need to mingle with “sick” people coughing and sneezing all over the place. Unfortunately I need to go back within the next four months to get the second shingles shot. My poor left arm is getting poked much too often. I just need to remember to move it around so it doesn’t get too sore. Having been in health care for thirty years doesn’t make any of this easier. But it beats the alternative. 

They’re Back

When we took our first few walks in the park near our new house it was not uncommon to see a deer or two. Then the flood came in early July and we haven’t seen any deer since that time - except on one occasion. And it was only one. I really like birds and animals and I’m always on the lookout for my favorite cardinals. I always hear them but they are quite good at hiding. Last week we heard a loud tapping noise only to look up and see a huge red tufted woodpecker enjoying some insects. The hawks are always squawking somewhere along the stream. Every once in a while a chipmunk scurries across our path. On the way over to the park this morning there were a bunch of sparrows - something we saw a lot of on Capitol Hill. Our little patio garden attracted a lot of different birds - they all loved the birdbath. From our balcony here in Northern Virginia the main creatures are crows. So we were pleasantly surprised to see not one, not two - but four deer meandering by along the banks and the backyards of the adjoining homes. It will be interesting to see what else shows up since we have really only seen the end of Spring and summer seasons so far in the park. It’s nice to have the change of scenery. And in just ten miles away we are back in DC. It’s a great place to be. 

Shall Not Be Denied - Women Fight for the Vote

Last week we went in to town to hear about Medevac at the Library of Congress. The program was presented by retired and active duty Medevac pilots through the Veterans History Project in the beautiful Jefferson Building. I used to walk those hallways almost every day when I worked at the library for ten years. It was a great way to see exhibits and get away from my desk. Since we arrived a bit early, we decided to take in the Shall Not Be Denied display. It wasn’t open the last time we were there - the final touches were being put on. So we wandered through to find out more about the history of the women fight for the vote. It almost seems ridiculous in this day and age that this ever was an issue. But times change and life evolves. These are all great reminders of things past and also what we should not take for granted. It’s one of the reasons we are glad we moved away from DC but stayed close enough to visit and so we could stay in touch with the exhibits and programs that other people spend a lot of money to travel to DC to see. And going back to the library is usually a pleasant experience. Every once in a while we will run in to a familiar face and chat. I still can’t believe I worked there. It’s funny how things turn out. 

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.