A Time to Let Go

This has been a season of letting go: a school friend had to let go of her older son (an 8-year-old whose life was cut short by a terrible accident); a sister has to let go of her home and a younger son who is shipping off to join the military; and my husband has to let go of the fact that his only daughter is no longer a little girl.

As do I.

I tell my children that regardless of what age they are, they will always be my "babies," as I'm sure many of you have said to your own offspring. Yet, the enormity of my daughter starting high school in just a few short weeks is hitting me finally. She started marching band practices last week, and this weekend she is headed off to the mountains for four days of intensive marching band camp.

Sigh.

This isn't the first time she has been gone from home. In sixth grade, she and her classmates went to Sea World in California for three days, and she regularly attends church youth group retreats for three days in the mountains.

And yet.........somehow............this is different.

Soon, she will be caught up in juggling marching band practices, football games, choir practices, honors classes, cafeterias so crowded that buying lunch will be impossible without being late for class, and homework like she's never had before. My son will be beginning his middle school career, with no slack on the homework deadlines, a crew of all male teachers, and greater expectations placed on him.

My children................are growing so fast. And I can't stop the clock. I can't stop time.

My babies are not babies any more.

Time to let go.

Washington, DC - A Photo Tour

If you are interested in viewing some of the photos from our trip to Washington, DC, check out my photo blog HERE.

If you missed the brief recap of my trip to Washington, be sure to read THIS POST HERE.

Some more reflections from our family gathering in a separate post still to come.

Thanks, Food Network!

One of the side benefits of having taken a vacation was that I got to relax quite a bit at my in-laws' home. With all of the parties and festivities, Mom and I rarely had to cook, and since I'm not all that enamored of cooking (nor is Mom), that suited me just fine.

I do, however, love to eat and I love travel, and I've always been a fan of The Food Network. I have lots of shows that I like, but I can't really say one is my favorite, so don't ask. ;) Usually I'm just content to watch the cooking and make comments such as, "Wow, I would never make that!" and, "What the....???" I also like to hear about the favorite restaurants of the celebrity chefs, and if we're going to be visiting one of the cities where these are located, we try to find the restaurants and eat there.

It is a rare occasion that one finds an Indonesian restaurant, though, and never have I seen one showcased or even mentioned on The Food Network. I lament the fact that there is not one near me, and I don't cook that much Indonesian food (the cuisine of my childhood) because my family has never seemed to like the dishes that were presented to them.

Things on all fronts, however, have taken a slight upturn since our trip back east. First and foremost, I FINALLY got to eat some authentic Indonesian food at a fantastic restaurant in Alexandria, VA. This restaurant is not one that has a few dishes that are Indonesian or pale imitations; this restaurant serves ONLY Indonesian food, and the owners are Indonesian. NOW we're talking!

My nephew Jason has been there many times in the past, and because he has been transferred back to Maryland, he met the family and me there while we were in DC. My family? LOVED IT. My husband was nodding and stuffing his face, my daughter gamely tried everything and found several things she loved, and my son even tried new things. Now they're asking me when I'm going to cook some of these dishes!

Now for the reason I'm thanking Food Network (I KNOW - took me long enough!): because I finally started paying attention to how people cook and what makes cooking so enjoyable to some people, I decided to test my newly found knowledge and "experiment" with my cooking. The results? My family gave my two tries resounding thumbs up!

So, I guess I can cook when I put my mind to it, and it's not all that difficult. Now it's time to crack the binding on the Indonesian cookbook and get started. :)

If You Thought I Was Back....

The Capitol at dusk - photo by ME!

....and then gone again, you were right! And to be honest, it's been a slow re-entry back to my "normal" life. After spending two+ weeks back east on vacay, adjusting to my home time zone has been a bit bumpy. I fall asleep early, wake up in the middle of the night, and then sleep late. Ergh. It's a good thing that school isn't in session or I'd be in Barney. (Extra points if you get that movie reference *wink*.)

The family packed their bags and flew to Ohio only to load up into the rental car and drive the seven hours (six with an hour construction delay on the d@mn PA turnpike!) to Washington, DC. We'd promised the Lass that we would take a family trip there to make up for the fact that we couldn't afford to send her on her 8th grade "graduation" class trip. We saw as much as we could in three and a half days, including a couple of drive-by monuments tours, one day in the Smithsonian's Air and Space museum (the newer one by Dulles International Airport), and a day a half at the Museum of American History. We also squeezed in dinner at an Indonesian restaurant in Alexandria with our nephew (now stationed in MD), dinner at an Italian restaurant in Alexandria with a long-time friend of mine, and dinner and visiting with long-time friends who live near Baltimore. Then we crammed back into the rental Corolla (along with our 11 bags!) and drove the six-hour drive back to Ohio to get ready for my parents-in-law's 50th wedding anniversary festivities.

Whew! Are you tired yet? I know I still am, and we've been back nearly a week. ;)

Here are some things that I observed, realized, and/or contemplated. And before any of you reminds me of the incredible subway system in the DC area ("the metro"), let me say now, yes, I know about it. Yes, it's great, and yes, I've ridden it. And no, we didn't use it because we had places to be every night so taking it was not feasible. Now, on with my list:

• People in the DC metro area love their small commuter cars. Our rental Corolla with the VA plates fit right in. It was odd not seeing the high numbers of SUVs, pick-ups, and mini-vans that roam the streets here.
• If you are still parked on a through street in downtown DC at the start of evening rush hour, they will tow your car, but they will not impound it. They will tow it to the nearest available open spot not on a high-traffic street and leave the parking ticket for you to pay by mail.
• If you are in possession of a handicapped plate or parking placard, you are entitled to park for double the time stated on free parking spots before having to move your car. For example, if the sign says "Free Parking for two hours" you can park for four if you have the plate or placard. Remember that at 4:00 p.m. rush hour begins, though, because you will be towed if you are parked on the "wrong" street. :)
• We really do have dry heat here in the desert. Triple digit heat with single digit humidity is definitely more comfortable than 92 degrees F with 87% humidity. I'll take the desert summer anytime. Thank goodness the museums were like ice boxes; I had to wear a sweater. :)
• I was emotionally overwhelmed at the sight of the original star spangled banner, much more than I imagined I would be. And I've seen it before!
• The Air & Space museum near Dulles gets two emphatic thumbs up from me; it's well laid out, has an enormous amount of space, is easy to negotiate with a wheelchair, and has fantastic exhibits.
  
• I'd forgotten how much thunderstorms can freak me out.
• I'd forgotten how adorable four-year-olds are. :)
• I'm in awe of the fact that my beloved parents-in-law have been married 50 years. And knowing that they have been together that long makes me sad knowing that my parents never got to celebrate 50 years together here on earth.

Our trip was filled with lots of laughter, tears, newly discovered facts, hugs, food, and family time. I hope your summer has, so far, been the same.

Later daze..................