Driving Day One

DAY...What day is this?: Emily
Sooooo we both were really tired last night after a long walking day in DC and Annapolis and therefore didn't get around to posting. Instead, I listed to mom snore like I've never heard her snore before at 10PM and I was in bed by 11PM. Haven't gotten in bed that early on a Saturday since high school but it was wonderful! After contemplating watching "When Harry Met Sally" for the first time or starting my new book The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing (thanks, Liz), I decided to relax and see how Harry and Sally connect. Great movie. I am, however, trying to read a lot on this trip and have so far been successful. Tom gave me Breakfast of Champions and I finished that in DC and am now on to Girl's Guide and Life of Pi - both should be very enjoyable so I'm looking forward to reading in the car and on the beach when we arrive in Maine/Nantucket/Martha's Vineyard.

We spent yesterday touring the Capitol - which I have done before, but mom has not - and the Library of Congress - which neither of us have seen - and both were breathtaking. I kept thinking that the intricate details of the architecture and paintings in the Library of Congress depict a time in American history when details mattered. From floor to ceiling, the rooms of the Library were covered in paintings representing different genres of the novel or specific Supreme Courts in our history. It was truly breathtaking.

And now we have come to the portion of our trip which I like to call "Emily is in charge of the directions" meaning I am the one with the maps and I am the one who programs the TomTom because mom will not let me drive and I have to feel needed. And because mom's not the best with directions....

Once we left there, we tackled DC traffic and headed to Annapolis, the capital of Maryland - such a cute town, very colonial. We visited the capitol building - which, after seeing the US Capitol earlier that day, was a little disappointing - and the Naval Academy. We also shopped all along the Chesapeake Bay Harbor, enjoying the beautiful day. Mom was having hot flashes all throughout Annapolis and went in to every store to cool off. The Occidentals would have come in handy, but we forgot them in the rent car. We're also calling smaller sweat napkins that did not come from the Occidental "Juniors" for "Junior Occidentals" - I'm not sure the Juniors will do as good of a job for mom in this heat, but we'll see! I also find it funny that any time she says, "I'm sooo hot" to anyone other than me they say, "Where are you from" and once she answers Louisiana, they immediately smirk and judge her because obviously we should be used to this heat. As if we aren't allowed to be hot because we're from the bayous!

Mom's also picking up a new "collection" with every city we stop in. So for the first days we were collecting coffee cups of every city. Now it's lapel pins (for my collection I had when I was 12) and postcards and Christmas ornaments for her "traveling tree" at Christmas time. Yesterday, we were going to buy a bib in every city for Jamie's baby girl until we realized that few gift shops sell bibs and who really wants a bib with "Annapolis, Maryland" or "Niagra Falls" on it? Let's just say.... gift shops love us and we're coming back with a lot of crap that will end up in a rummage sale 5 years down the road. Sorry daddy.

From Annapolis, we came to Baltimore. I have been to Baltimore for a day in college - only visiting the Inner Harbor and going to an Oriole's game at Camden Yards and I loved the Inner Harbor area. We were so tired when we got in last night that we ordered room service and called it an early night so now we are about to get dressed to venture into the Inner Harbor for lunch and a day of shopping! The Inner Harbor is gorgeous - a very nice lady from the Marriott named Mary got us a room on the 20th floor overlooking the Harbor and goodness was it beautiful at night! Mom's a little skeptical of the safeness of Baltimore, but she'll love the Inner Harbor. If she doesn't, it means this trip to Baltimore was pointless, so let's pray she does.

Tonight, we head to Philly for some more American landmarks and tours. I must admit, I do love America and American history, but I am excited to get to the beaches to relax, read, tan, and catch up on some Netflix movies!

Missing NYC, Minden, and everyone in between....

And Happy Father's Day to the best daddy I could have ever asked for and to my loving Papa. I'm so blessed!