"Mission Accomplished"

Tomorrow is the 5th Anniversary of the "Mission Accomplished" banner. Now in its sixth year, the War in Iraq has claimed the lives of at least 4,100 members of the U.S. Military plus hundred and hundreds of military and civilians in Iraq. And there is no end in sight.

Monday, April 21 -- Vacation Day 11

My son and daughter-in-law dropped us off at National Airport. Catherine had a Tall Caramel Frappacino while I tried to figure out the location of a Virtual Cache. It seemed rather complicated to get to the location so I gave up. I had a lemon poppy seed muffin (my all time favorite) at Starbucks. I purchased a small box of Junior Mints at Hudson Group so I would have change to purchase our mini-lunches during the flight. We left about 9:45 AM, changed planes in Chicago, and arrived in Portland about 3:00 PM. It was cold and rainy.

Sunday, April 20 -- Vacation Day 10

I woke early and read the third book of the “Jewel in the Crown” series. I had a cup of tea as I worked a Jelly Bean puzzle. We had a delicious brunch.

We visited the Monticello Visitor Center where I found a Virtual Cache and then walked around the grounds of Monticello. We had a 3:50 PM tour of the house. Afterwards we saw the outer buildings and cemetery, and walked downhill 1/3 mile back to the car.

We ate hamburgers and fries at Five Guys in Charlottesville. We found Christmas Tree #2 Cache. We drove back to Virginia during a rain and lightning storm.

Saturday, April 19 -- Vacation Day 9

I read a novel in the glass enclosed sun room overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains until lunch. Catherine was ill so she stayed at the house.

My son, daughter-in-law and I went geocaching. We went to Mint Springs Valley Park where we followed the Upper Lake Trail to the cache. They hiked up further on the trail to find another cache so I walked back on a different path. I found "Sole Survivor" (Virtual Cache) nearby at the memorial for the Piedmont Airline Flight 349 Crash.

We went to a community college in Charlottesville where we found the Claudius Crozet Cache. We stopped for treats at Dairy Queen. We drove to Waynesboro where I got photos and coordinates for a Cracker Barrel Restaurant Waymark. We stopped at Wal-Mart at 5:30 PM where we got a few groceries. We drove back along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Incredible scenery!

Friday, April 18 -- Vacation Day 8

Catherine and I visited Smithsonian National Zoological Park. We saw leopards, giant pandas, elephants, tigers, Iguana, meerkats, Great Apes and other primates, reptiles, Golden Lion Tamarinds, and many other animals and birds. I found Tiger Paws (Virtual Cache). It got too hot and way too crowded so we left the zoo about 2:00 PM to go across the street from the Zoo entrance to Starbucks where we had lunch. We boarded the Metro train only to have it break down. We boarded another Metro train and traveled to the Pentagon Station where we caught the bus.

Thursday, April 17 -- Vacation Day 7

Catherine and I rode to Crystal City. Fifty airplane statues (25 fighter jets and 25 vintage planes) had landed on the streets of Crystal City. The airplane at the Metro Station was called "Barnstorming" by Artist Matt Wuerker. I got a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit at McDonalds. We took the wrong Metro to the National Archives so we had to walk several blocks. I forgot the pink forms so we had trouble finding the correct entrance. We had a great tour.

We ate lunch at the National Gallery café near the waterfall. I had a lemon tart for dessert and Catherine got a single gelato. We toured the National Gallery of Art West Bldg. and then the East Bldg. As we were walking south to the Federal Center Metro Station we saw an accident between a cab and van at the corner of 4th and Independence Ave. SE. I left my name, address and phone number with the van driver as a witness.

We rode the Metro to Pentagon City. We ate early dinner at the Nordstrom café of Chinese Chicken Salads with crostinis. I purchased an ice cream dessert set of four bowls and four plates at Williams-Sonoma at 6:30 PM as a gift for my daughter-in-law. Catherine got a Tall Caramel Frappacino and I got shortbread cookies and tea at Starbucks. We rode the Metro to the Pentagon Station where we caught the bus.

Thursday, April 17 – Catherine and I rode to Crystal City. There were airplanes everywhere. The airplane at the Metro Station was called "Barnstorming" by Artist Matt Wuerker. I got a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit at McDonalds. We took the wrong Metro to the National Archives so we had to walk several blocks. I forgot the pink forms so we had trouble finding the correct entrance. We had a great tour. The National Archives houses original copies of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution (on permanent display), as well as hundreds of thousands of other lesser-known historical documents; a rotating exhibit program begun in 2005 opens the vaults on previously unviewed artifacts, papers, and letters.

We ate lunch at the National Gallery café near the waterfall. I had a lemon tart for dessert and Catherine got a single gelato. We toured the National Gallery of Art West Bldg. and then the East Bldg. As we were walking south to the Federal Center Metro Station we witnessed an accident between a cab and van at the corner of 4th and Independence Ave. SE. I left my name, address and phone number with the van driver as a witness.

We rode the Metro to Pentagon City. We ate early dinner at the Nordstrom café of Chinese Chicken Salads with crostinis. I purchased an ice cream dessert set of four bowls and four plates at Williams-Sonoma at 6:30 PM as a gift for my daughter-in-law. Catherine got a Tall Caramel Frappacino and I got shortbread cookies and tea at Starbucks. We rode the Metro to the Pentagon Station where we caught the bus.