My sister Patti and my niece Carol came to visit from Florida today. Patti drove all the way, leaving at 4:30 this morning. When they arrived we went to Tunnicliff's Tavern, a good restaurant and on Capitol Hill. Then we walked around after dinner and saw the White House, the Washington Monument, the brand new WWII Memorial (where the card in the picture was placed), the Korean War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Wall and Memorial. It was a good walk for Father's Day. My sister, my niece, and me have all lost our fathers. My two older sisters and older brother lost their father on my birthday the year before I was born. My Dad died while I was in the Marine Corps stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC, but deployed on a two-month training exercise in California's Mojave Desert. My niece Carol lost her Dad when she was pretty young. I am her godfather though.
I covered a wedding at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria last night. It is a large multi-level galleria of artists' workshops right on the waterfront. When I received the contract to cover the job over two months ago I made the important decision to freelance all summer. The wedding was great with many very interesting, happy, laughing, and dancing guests. Toward the end of the night, I finally gave into the bartender's drink offers which worked out better for everyone. I think I stuck around for an extra hour drinking "Rocket Fuel," talking, and taking photos.
