Blog of Billy

Home from our nation's capital. The trip was good enough to not make me regret it, but sufficiently pock-marked with frustration to make me glad I'm home. It's the best possible combination of experiences.

High points included getting to wander about the Watergate Hotel with Denise-and-Nathan, and having some really good Chinese food in Georgetown later that night. I also enjoyed seeing (if not getting to go into) some monuments that I hadn't been able to see on previous trips, like the Holocaust Museum and some giant churches.

I also for whatever reason really enjoy riding the D.C. subway.

The low point of the trip was definitely the train ride back from my grandmother's funeral in Baltimore. So there are such things as scenic train rides, just in case you never wanted to get closer to nature than 60 feet passing at 80 miles per. Imagine, if you will, that the conductor of the MARC commuter railway had decided that the backside of the Washington Times distribution building was the single most beautiful sight in all of the greater NorthEast, and sat staring at it for an hour and a half. In fact, the train had lost all power, including air conditioning, locomotion, lights, and had gained several dozen grumpy commuters. It was warm and boring as only gridlock in a solar cooker can be.

The funeral or memorial service or what-have-you was rather touching in its own way. Dad read a speech he had come up with, and everyone was solemn and respectful. It was small and personal, just the way I can image Nanny Boucha wanting it. We then spent some time with some relatives I had never gotten a chance to meet before, and visited some sites from Grandma's childhood. I learned some good things.

But I'm glad to be home.

It's hard to wake up when the shades have been pulled shut.