Trying to take advantage of the amazing history of this area, we get out as much as we can. Yesterday we used one of the last nice warm days to visit Mount Vernon and get to know George Washington better. How cool to go through the house the Father of America lived and died in!
His home is on the Potomac River just a few miles south of DC. Of course when his half brother’s father started the farm in the early 1700s there was no DC. President Adams moved from Philadelphia to a half finished White House the year George Washington died from complications of a severe sore throat in 1799.
At any rate, it was a very cool visit to a magnificent heritage of the U.S., and every single person should go.
This is in front of the greenhouse for his gardens. We even visited his distilllery and flour mill. Did you know Washington wanted to be the largest flour producer in the world and almost did it?
This is in front of his and Martha’s crypt. People lay those flowers right behind Shelly and Ryan. Washington left notes in his will to build this crypt. There are over 25 household members interred there.
What we did not know until we got there was the scheduled 10k race after ours with an attendance of 40,000 racers. It was crowded… This is a cool shot of the Washington Monument behind the crowd.
We took a day to run up to the first Capitol at Philadelphia to visit our friend David and to get Goose’s recertification as a Psychiatric Service Dog.
David chaperoned us into Philly for cheese steaks, and a visit to a really neat pumpkin carving fair. We also met Davids friend Sharon who definately seemed too nice for him.
Of course, Goose was the only dog there and Shelly had her hands full getting Goose to visit with all the kids.
Shelly is becoming quite the front person for paws4vets. You can see the attention these women at the Bureau of Prisons are giving to her. (And Goose of course!)
We have also been to several Department of Defence buildings (they are everywhere!), the Federal Marshals, SSA, DISA, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Army Audit and more… Here Goose has just shown how he can read!
Today we rode the Metro for the first time to the Pentagon and wowed the 28,000 people who work there. (Well maybe a few of them!)
We have maybe a month more at the most as the weather gets colder, and the decreasing number of events makes the cost of staying here combined with pain of the weather time to go…
Thanks for the comments and calls. We enjoy hearing from you!
