It's enough to make me swear off weekdays for good!

Friday night Brother J, K and I ate a quick dinner at home and then set out for the Metro and a trip to DC. J had never been to the area, so we thought he should see the mall and a bit of the city. We left Metro Center station and were greeted by 35-degree weather and a beautiful night. We swung by the White House, past the Washington Monument down to the Korean Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial (more on that later) and then on to the Vietnam Memorial. Early in the planning stages, we had thought to walk all the way to the Capitol Building as well, but we feared fatigue and cold weather so we officially nixed the idea. As we were walking around, though, we decided two things: 1) We, as mortal humans, only live once, and 2) The Capitol looks temptingly close from the Lincoln Memorial. Our friend T met up with us on the way back from a party and we hopped in his car after marveling at the Capitol Building. And because no trip to DC would be complete without stopping by for a visit, we stopped for drinks at the Old Ebbitt before heading home on the Subway and sleeping like babies.

K and I did some sight-seeing this past August on a lazy Sunday afternoon, but it was crowded at certain places, so we didn't do more than admire the exteriors. Fortunately on a chilly night in February, you're much likely to encounter a crowd at the Lincoln Memorial than on a cooler day in August. We almost had the monument to ourselves for close to half an hour. We were able to read the words of his Second Inaugural Address and the Gettysburg address. Stunning prose - just incredible. I think that's gotta be my favorite memorial - so stirring and poignant and stark. I liked what my brother had to say about it: "It's open and simple. Just his words and himself. You can see the empty corners of the building. It's like all the open space is a gift to the memory of this amazing man."

Well, after that night of beautiful vistas and winking lights, Sunday was pretty banal by comparison, but it was great fun. We tried out a local Lutheran church which probably won't be the place for us, I reckon, though the people were sweet as can be. Those friendly Lutherans! After that, I left K to fend for himself and I went out for lunch and some shopping with HF - yay! I barely got to know H at GCC simply because she graduated before I could really spend much time with her, so it was great to catch up/get to know her. Plus I got a dress shirt at Express for $15 in the perfect shade of coral/salmon for my complexion. Bring it!

Once I returned from that adventure, I found Hubsterhad reformatted his computer, done the dishes and tidied the bedroom and bathroom. What a marvelous man! :-D I had little time to admire his work, though, because we left soon for a trip to JB's house for dinner out in Delaware at the Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (yay for inexpensive yummy steak!), a little conversation with his delightful parents, and most of the Superbowl. Bad commercials, decent tension, and one man with a fabulous, fabulous name: Bruschi. Fraternities everywhere sigh that they were not blessed with his moniker on their member rolls.

Now it's Monday, it's lunch, and I wish I had my nighttime in DC or my friends back. Sigh.