The best laid plans

Hello again,

The plan for Friday was to go to the Decatur House. It is located across Lafayette Park from the White House making it the President's closest neighbor. It was built in 1819, and a lot of famous people have lived there over the years. I didn't have any problems getting there. I am beginning to feel like a Metro pro (famous last words). The problem was they had to evacuate the house because they were having problems with their gas meter. Ooopps! They only give tours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and they were going to be closed all this weekend. Well, I can reschedule for next weekend.

Now, what to do since my plans didn't work out? I decided to start walking, and I found the Blair House. This is where the President-elect stays before his inauguration, and it is also where guests of the White House stay--if they aren't invited to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom :) I had always wanted to find it. Anyway, after that I found the Renwick Art Gallery. It is part of the Smithsonian, but it is not located on The Mall. They have a wonderful collection of art produced by Japanese people who were interred during W.W.II. They used anything they could find to produce their works including the back of their detention notification letters. I often tell my students that humans are a strange species because we crave beauty and art. We look at a sunset and don't think of the pollutants bending the sunlight to produce those colors, we just see beauty and it feeds something inside of us. Imagine having to leave everything you own behind to move to some isolated area where you are surrounded by guards and barbed wire. The landscape is barren, the camp is crowded, there is no privacy, and art is what helps keep you sane. Many of the detainees were artists who had been successful before the war and now they were teachers who helped others pass the time and express themselves. Some of the detainees had never been artists before but they produced beautiful works while in the camps. Many of them stopped once they got out because they associated their art with the camps. There were paintings, sculptures, carvings, and handcrafts that were beautiful.

After spending time in the Renwick I decided to keep walking. I really didn't have any destination in mind. Sometimes I walked with a crowd and sometimes I walked away from them. There are still a lot of school groups here. As I was walking I came to the DAR Headquarters and Museum. My mom had talked to someone she worked with and this person said I should definitely check this out if I had the chance, and a friend of mine from school is interested in visiting the DAR when she comes to DC. I decided to go in. It is really a neat place! I was able to get a personal guided tour by a very nice lady who worked very hard to see if I couldn't become a member. I don't think we qualify,but I will have to check with my mom. I think one of our ancestors on her mother's side might have been here during the colonial period. I know one of my Dad's ancestors was a horse thief so I know he wouldn't qualify! :) In the DAR Headquarters 31 different states have decorated a room that showcases their state at a particular period in their history. Iowa was the first state to "buy" a room, and it is decorated as a parlor during the 1840s. Indiana's room is also a parlor, but it is from the 1930s. Ohio has a parlor from the early 20th century, but other states have decorated their rooms as bedrooms, dining rooms, or something else. New Hampshire got an attic space, and they decorated it as a children's play room. They also had an exhibit of quilts that were really beautiful. It is really a fun place to visit. Some people go there to do genealogical research. Their library is very impressive. I was able to find a book about the history of the church where my parents got married in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The book was published in 1932--before my parents' time, but it was still interesting to look at it. I didn't recognize any names in it, but I think that is because my dad's family belonged to a different parish.

After I left the museum I was close enough to the Washington Monument to walk there so I decided to go. It is nice there because it is high enough to catch any breeze. It really felt nice because it was hot yesterday! I stopped there to take in the view--including some of the Smithsonian, and I decided to go to the Smithsonian Castle. I have never been there so I spent a little time there before catching the Metro which just happens to have a station nearby.

This wasn't the way I planned to spend my day, but the best laid plans can often be those that you make as you go! :)

Tami