Our D.C. Diary: Dad Adventures

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself. ~John Gregory Brown, Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery

February has brought a lot of excitement to the Ruthford house...um, I mean, apartment. We ended our trips to Florida and Washington State, but also got a visit from my dad for a week. Not only did Natalie get to finally show him the Spirit of St. Louis plane they have been planning on seeing together for a year, but we also got to go on some fun adventures to new places. When the kids were in school one da, my dad and I rented a car (new white VW beetle...I was just a little excited!) and headed to Annapolis, Maryland only 40 minutes away. We first stopped at the US Naval Academy for a self-guided tour which was pretty impressive. We got to visit the overly ornate crypt of John Paul Jones and then stepped into the naval museum on the campus. My dad knew that a very specific gun (more like a canon) that he researched and wrote about to write his screen play of the Boxer Rebellion (which you should read if you have a chance)and we looked for the gun called the "International". The gun wasn't on display, but after a little ass-kissing, my dad found out that the gun was in a storage facility off-campus...so of course we had to go find it. The nice lady in the admin office called around and found a guy who would show us if we got there before his lunch break (in 15 minutes). So we jumped in Herbie and raced to an old physical plant building and found the random building that held the gun. Below are some pics of the adventure. My dad was excited and I could see he was pretty proud we found it...and I guess I am too. The famous gun was disassembled and in a box in the corner....which according to my dad, should be reassembled on put on display in the Marine Corp museum. So hopefully after he writes his letters, someday Natalie and Sawyer can read his screenplay and visit the the "International" in its rightful place in Quantico, VA.

My dad found the gun...and I found crab. So below is the largest crab cake I have ever seen (larger than my fist) which I so happily enjoyed in the cute harbor town of Annapolis, to be followed by a large warm chocolate chip cookie and a latte. We both had our needs met.

We also just enjoyed showing my dad the weekly routines of ours: library on scooters, Judo and the school routine. Natalie got to show off her school by leading the Chinese New Year Parade. In all it was a fabulous week, with lots of Starbucks coffees and good chats about family genealogy. Next time we will see him is in New York in May...we can't wait for our next adventure.

We also got a quick visit from my friend and former teaching partner, Adam Goldstein, who was here to do a training for his job with the WEA. It was fun to visit the Capitol and Hirshhorn Museum with someone who I have taught history with. Thanks, for the visit, Adam!

Dad and Barack at the National Portrait Gallery.

Me too.

Teaching Grandpa how to get around Arlington, Sawyer-style.

On our way to Annapolis.

Our first stop.

Crypt of John Paul Jones. What a weird design...overly ornate.

The International gun in the random warehouse. Funniest story of the trip!

Fist-sized crab cake. Whoa.

Annapolis from our restaurant.

Kunta Kinte/Alex Haley Memorial...Annapolis was once the largest slave port in the colonies. Glad I remembered something from my AP Language Arts book.