Visit to DC

Starting the past September, my D#1 had a fellowship in Washington DC.  An internship with a congresswoman was a key part of this opportunity.  She received a stipend and housing quite close to the Capitol.  The young man who she is seeing was serving as a White House intern during the same time period -- one of relatively few who worked in the actual White House.  Two weeks ago, because her fellowship was ending, I drove to Washington DC to help her move out of the house she shared with other interns from a variety of programs. We took that chance to visit the Capitol building and to see the holiday-bedecked White House (thanks to said young man who fast-tracked security checks for us... well, for me anyway!).

Our visit to the Capitol building was fairly fast-paced so I didn't have time to take many photos.  Left is the Capitol rotunda and below is the statue in the Hall of Statuary of Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg, the pastor-soldier of the Revolutionary War, one of two statues placed by Pennsylvania.

(Yeah, I know that Henry is sideways -- need to figure out how to get him to rotate 90 degrees counterclockwise.)  

There were a number of Christmas trees (duh) in various rooms, but my camera didn't like the lighted ones, which all came out blurry.  The main one in the Blue Room was more cooperative.

I was told the White House florist likes putting "Bo" in different arrangements 

around the building.  Here's one near the entrance -- easily two feet tall if I remember correctly.

The library had another "Bo", lying by the fireplace.  The White House Christmas card portrayed a similar scene.   (Ask me how I know...[wink])

This beautiful Nativity scene was in the State Dining Room.  Wish I could have viewed it more closely!

At the end of the Dining Room was the replica of the White House, in white 

chocolate!  (Another Bo -- not to scale.)

The sunset view from the Blue Room (I think), with the Washington Monument 

at left, was stunning.  Straight ahead is the Jefferson Memorial, though it's lost in the shadows of the photo.

 

Here's the tree in the Blue Room, as seen from the foyer of the South (?) exit.  

Note the Presidential Seal above the door.

And, finally, my daughter and me!  

 

D#1 is home until mid-January when she returns to the Capital.  Anyone who wants to keep me company on a trip to deliver her belongings, just let me know! 

Progress report: month 17 (November 2011)

No new "completes" but still moving along:

Progress:
7, 26, 28. Kept up-to-date
33. Went to gym 3 times most weeks
48. Watched 5 movies -- nothing memorable:
      You again
      The Break-up
      A Midsummer night's sex comedy
      The Dead zone
      The Prestige (I do love Michael Caine in almost anything)
49. Read 3 books (52/60, 34/30, 15/10) [2 YA, counted as 1]
      How the light gets in (M.J. Hyland)
      In search of Mockingbird (Loretta Ellsworth -- YA)
      Fever, 1793 (Laurie Halse Anderson -- YA)
      Shopping malls and other sacred spaces (Jon Pahl)
60. Ate at Moroccan restaurant with friends to celebrate my birthday
84. Extra contribution to League of Women Voters and
      American Heart Association
99. Updated blog post with progress (16 out of 16)
101. Extra blog posts:
      A milestone -- or two
      Forward or backward?
Extra quilts: finished late graduation gift for friend of D#2 (owls)
                   finished baby quilt for former vicar

With Christmas, New Year's and daughters home for vacation of various durations, other activities will likely take precedence, but I think I can finish up:

December priorities:
70. Make 3rd curtain for D#2's room.
75. Cut last box of scrap fabric. 
Extra quilts: Bricks & Stepping Stones: finish binding
                   CFAC "Traditions" charms: add borders to finish top 

Mid course changes:
When I reached Day 500, I decided to re-evaluate my original list and allow myself to alter items if I had decided I no longer wanted to do what I'd originally written.   I resisted the idea of just adding more quilts to the list (wink!) and disciplined myself to stay in the same category. 

24. Remove carpet from rest of house (Home Improvement)
34. Purchase stationery bike for basement (Health)
47. Make photo collage of D#2 for Dr. S. (Family/Friends)
REPLACED WITH:
24. Hang photos of daughters in upstairs hall
34. Do 20 mins of machines at LAF at least 3 times a month
47. Go over digital photos and have prints made

As a reward for reading this post, which is irrelevant to all of you.... a more recent photo of my kittens!

W.I.B.W.O.

Catching up with What I've Been Working On.  Mostly pictures, few words.

This was my "tube" experiment.  I quilted around each block on my machine 

and it went off to the children's hospice.

Some of my many hand-pieced 9-patches.  Also machine quilted by me 

(diagonals across blocks) and given to children's hospice.

A baby quilt for our former vicar at church.  Baby is due around Christmas.  

Also machine-quilted by me -- more straight lines.

A very late high school graduation gift for a friend of D#2.   

He is now a sophomore at Temple where the mascot is the owl and the school 

colors are cherry and white.

This was machine-quilted in loose swirls by my local long-armer.

Thanksgiving gratitude

Some of the things I'm thankful for:

my home

my family
(not pictured: brother Harold and nephew Geoffrey)

my Godson, Spencer, and his family (his mom and dad are with "family" above)

 

my quilting friends, especially the White Oakers, and the Uvulati

my other friends, whether in Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or around the world

my kittens (l-r: Smidgen & Sassy)

and especially my daughters.

(not pictured: my church, my job)

Not worrying that Thanksgiving Day is over.
I'm thankful each and every day of the year!