Our latest leg of the #2020LemonadeTour has been all about contrast. Our peaceful riverside retreat in rural Maryland turns out is a mere 90 minutes away from the nonstop energy of Washington, D.C. We went from waking up to bird calls to street noise and sirens. And while our nation’s capital is breathtaking, exhilarating and loaded with things to do, we are quickly learning that our family prefers a slower pace of life.
The sweet: We knew ahead of time from our fabulous hosts that much of D.C. was still closed down due to COVID, but we lucked out in that the Washington Monument reopened just before our arrival. Our family got its 10-minute turn at the tippy-top with just one other couple. What a perfect way to start our visit to the city! Another stroke of luck, the tomb of John F. Kennedy reopened to visitors at Arlington Cemetery the day of our visit there. So in addition to visiting an Anderson family gravesite, we got to show the girls the JFK memorial site and some other famous burial spots—including Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s. (I’ll admit, I didn’t know that Supreme Court justices were buried at Arlington! Education for all!!)
We rented bikes and scooters and saw just about as many famous monuments as the girls could handle—many of which we had almost all to ourselves. Crowds were minimal, and we felt safe and very lucky to be touring a glorious city on two gorgeous October days.
The sour-ish: I had wanted to bring the girls to the Smithsonian museums and Ford’s Theatre, as those were the most memorable stops from our family trip when I was a kid, but it was not meant to be. In keeping with our theme of turning lemons into lemonade, not hitting those hot spots allowed us more time at the International Spy Museum (super amazing), Mount Vernon, Colonial Williamsburg and the Smithsonian gardens—all gorgeous places that we totally would have skipped outside of the pandemic. Still, it was disappointing that we missed a chance to go to Mass at the National Basilica by about 10 minutes (church was at capacity), and the girls didn’t get to eat at Georgetown Cupcake (call-ahead orders only). Still, we soldier on.
COVID: The girls’ classmates back in De Pere remain in virtual learning for at least another month as virus cases continue to spike in Wisconsin. We pray for everyone back home! Here on our Lemonade Tour, we continue to remind ourselves of the silver lining this pandemic has provided for our family—this opportunity to spread our wings and explore new places. Minor frustrations like paying extra for an Uber XL (because no one is allowed to sit in the front seat next to the driver) or being told not to lower our masks to take a sip of coffee inside the coffee shop are truly very slight inconveniences in the grand scheme of this yearlong adventure, right? Annoyances, nonetheless, and they do take their toll on a person. It was a relief to arrive here—the Outer Banks of North Carolina where the sun is warm, the ocean is blue and life is peaceful. I maintain my Delaware commentary—it’s impossible to be stressed out when you are at the beach!
Back to my earlier statement about contrast: When we were in D.C., I did not see one person without a mask. Virginia was a little more laid back, especially at the historic sites that were primarily outdoor museums. When we got to North Carolina and I went into the lobby to check into our cottage, not one person was wearing a mask indoors. It’s enough to make your head spin. Without going into what I believe to be right or wrong, I will simply say that our family is doing what we feel is best to stay healthy and safe, and we respect the rights of others to do the same.
“Like a buffet, Mom” In keeping with my promise not to over-plan and overanalyze every aspect of this trip, I took off my tour guide cap in D.C. and Virginia and just let the experiences happen. For the most part, this worked exceptionally well. We didn’t, for example, get to see all the sights at Mount Vernon, and I feel like we barely scratched the surface of what Williamsburg had to show us. But as Bella pointed out, “I think this vacation is like a buffet, Mom. We’re going to get to sample a little bit of what every place has to offer, but we’re not going to get to do and see everything.”
Gratitude: That Packer win on Sunday keeps them undefeated. Our cottage is just steps from the ocean. We get to reconnect with friends this weekend and, soon, Zac as well. Work (for us) and school (for the girls) are both going just fine. And did I mention that the Packers are undefeated? I can’t think of one more single thing to ask God for. We are truly blessed indeed! Thank you all for your love and support; the next leg of our journey will take us to coastal South Carolina. Talk soon!!
Sounds like a wonderful experience and so many great memories!! You will always have this time to remember and share the “buffet”!!😘
❤❤❤❤👏👏👏👏🤗🤗🤗