Fourth of July Weekend

We had a very big weekend full of visitors, celebrations, great food, and of course fireworks.

It began on Wednesday when Mom and Ron flew in for a visit. I picked them up from the airport and they came to my office to meet my coworkers and have lunch. The next day I took them on a tour of the Capitol and to visit the Anderson House - a little known and underappreciated DC spot. That night we roasted the Happy Chicken and ended my five years of vegetarianism (see below).

On Friday, we celebrated the birth of our Nation and the birth of my mother - a true July 4th yankee doodle baby. We got to the Mall early and staked out a prime spot for A Capitol Fourth. Unfortunately, about two hours before the concert it started to rain. We toughed it out, largely motivated by a group of interns sitting next to us that kept the party going by playing and dancing in the rain to "Umbrella" and "It's Raining Men." The rain stopped just long enough for us to enjoy our delicious picnic, including leftover Happy Chicken salad. By the time the concert started, the storm had passed and we rocked out to Huey Lewis and the News.

I texted my father, a fellow Huey fan, that he should turn on PBS to see me and the concert. By the time he turned it on however, a certain Silver Fox had already started performing. This is mine and my father's text exchange.

Dad: Are you still there?
Me: Yeah, but Taylor Hicks is performing. He's no Huey.
Dad: He sucks.

I couldn't have said it better myself. The rest of the concert was semi-forgettable, until an ancient Jerry Lee Lewis played in the fireworks with "Great Balls of Fire" - of course. We had a perfect view of the fireworks display and it more than made up for any rain or lame Idols.

On Saturday, Nicholas and I celebrated our five year anniversary at Palena with my parents. We had 5 course dinner - one for every year. It was truly tasty and fun was had by all. I have to brag on Nicholas for giving the most thoughtful, inventive anniversary gift this year. Every year we give the traditional anniversary gift and this year was wood, apparently symbolizing the order and strength of a marriage in its fifth year. Nicholas gave me a bonsai tree, because he remembered how I had wanted one at a festival we went to earlier in the year. He also had 5 trees for every year of our marriage planted in an California area destroyed by forest fires.

I mean seriously - how well does this man know me?

My parents' last day in town we decided to do some stereotypical touring and went on a D.C. Ducks tour. We had a real blast with Captain Frank, especially since we were the start students on the Duck and answered almost all his trivia questions. (I mean how many of you can identify Frances Perkins?!?!) We all could have done without the quackers they handed out towards the end of the trip, but not as badly as Maggie who was barked incessantly when we tried them on her.

We had a pretty low key last night and dropped them off early this morning. We had such a fantastic time that it's hard to think the visit is already over. But hey - ending five years of vegetarianism, celebrating five years of marriage and 52 years of age is a lot for one weekend so we probably couldn't have shoved in much else either way.