40 hours in DC

I went home for the weekend, for the annual political memorabilia show that I organize. (Odd, but the co-chairs of the National Capital Chapter of APIC live in Austin, TX and Harrisburg, PA. The age of the Internet!)

To save some dough, I flew home via JFK on JetBlue. I forgot how much I love JetBlue. I watched some Food Network, a little Bravo, and the NCAA basketball tourney on my flights. [Hours 1-3] The flight from JFK to DC was delayed a little, but Bryan picked me up and we still made it to dinner at Colvin Run by 8:15. Norman made me drink red wine. (He really twisted my arm.) It was a lovely Pinot Noir. Bryan and I both had the tuna 3-ways appetizer. (Teri, you would LOVE this.) And then he always has the duck for his entree. Always. I had a decidedly southwestern-style chili-rubbed pork loin and stuffed pepper. Norman had a blue cheese salad and then lobster consomme. Then we had dessert. The boys had chocolate mousse with banana ice cream. I had a chocolate-peanut-butter confection and a little mini vanilla milkshake (with a side of Lactaid pills). Everything was soooooooooo good. Norman and I are already planning out the restaurants that we're going to take mom & dad to when they come next month.

[Hours 4-12 - sleep (or try to sleep, in my case!)] Didn't see Mom & Dad on Friday night, they went to NJ to go to a bar mitzvah. Bryan dropped me off and promptly went out to hang with his friends. I had to go to bed early anyway. Had to get up in time to get out of the city around all of the street closings for the DC Marathon, and get to the hotel for the show by 8am. By the time I made it (after stopping at Starbucks, natch), it was 8:05, and the dealers were about to mutiny!

[Hours 13-21] But, the show was a success. We sold almost all of the tables, so I think we broke even again. We had a lot of walk-in traffic, too. Everyone was so shocked that Dad was missing the show. And, I got some new flashers for my collection - someone has produced them for each of the '08 candidates - HRC, Obama, Romney, Giuliani and McCain. (No Edwards, tho.) By 4pm I was completely wiped out. I took Norman back to the house and went out to Fairfax to see Kelly (+1) and Jeff and Hannah. Yep, Kelly's gonna have another one! Yay! I get to be an auntie again! :) [I am less-than-secretly hoping for a boy, so I get to knit and/or buy some little boy clothes. Not that I don't love my nieces, but a boy would be so nice too!]

[Hours 22-26] I don't think Hannah stopped talking the entire time I was there. (I believe I said this in the last post about her, too.) She can tell you that the four-sided shape you've drawn is a rhombus, not a square or a diamond. And the one with the skewed sides is a trapezoid. Oy vey. Too smart already! She's gonna be a manager or a director or something... she loves giving orders. "Guys, (to me and Kelly)... do this." It was a riot.

[Hours 27-36 - sleep!] I was so wiped out, I left by 8:30pm. In the meantime, Mom & Dad had come home from NJ and then gone out to dinner with Norman, for an 8pm reservation. So I didn't see them until 10pm or so. I had to give them the update of what happened during the day at the show. Everyone missed them, asked for them, sent their regards.

Didn't have to do any tech support for the fam on this trip, fortunately. But it's even money there will be some random challenge when I'm back there in May. ;)

[Hours 36-40] Mom and I had breakfast at Starbucks, and then hauled a** to the airport. I got there in plenty of time -- I thought -- until I saw the security line. I made it to the B gates just in time to scurry to my gate and zip onto the plane. Fortunately, I wasn't the only straggler. The weather was gorgeous in DC and NY, so we made it to Austin right on time. And, my bag made it too! I got home about 30 minutes before the big thunderstorm opened up overhead.

I will be headed back to DC the first week of May... hopefully I'll have a little bit of time to see the many many people I missed on this trip.

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