2/4/2010 Washington, DC

Wow! What a difference 7 months makes!  I was in Washington, DC, last 4th of July.  We were here for a conference, and I stayed a couple of extra days to experience the 4th.  I remember dreading any walking we had to do; people dropped me off within a block of where ever I needed to go; we took cabs instead of walking.  I remember that everything I planned centered around how far I would have to walk because my knee was so bad. I had my knee replacement surgery 2 days after I returned home. This trip--totally the opposite! Today I walked over 3 miles around the city.  We arrived at our meeting a few minutes early, and I opted to walk down the street a couple of blocks to take some pictures. We walked to a restaurant for lunch; we walked from the subway to the hotel. I even ran down some stairs to catch a subway train. Unbelieveable difference--and no pain in my knee.  So nice. The knee replacement has literally changed my life--in just 7 months. 

It was a beautiful day here today. Chilly, but sunny, and the buildings were in their full glory. This shot is the torch of knowledge above the Library of Congress.  We were at a meeting across the street. They are expecting a huge snow storm here tomorrow, but I think we will escape town before it hits.
Tonight I met up with one of my former History Day students (and middle school student), Brette Christoffer, who is living in the area. We had dinner together. It is so awesome to be able to visit with former students as they grow into wonderful adults.  What a treat! 
I expect to return here a couple of more times this year and hope I actually have some time to do some planned walks around the mall area, but tomorrow I am heading back home and looking forward to my walks in our beautiful Skagit Valley.  It's nice to see other places, but always great to return home.