Washington DC, Day 6: Kid free day of culture, and an obnoxious wife

Amy took the kids off my hands today so they could actually have some fun.  We met at the Pentagon where she works.  When we were checking in the guard assumed both the kids were under 12.  Sam was a little peeved that they didn't appreciate his 14-year-old mustache. After our tour of the Pentagon and the Pentagon Memorial they went to a mall (Kira said, "Not The Mall AGAIN!" We had to explain that we meant an actual crappy dime-a-dozen shopping mall, and not the cultural center of our capital, America's main street, and the reason we came here.  Whew!), and to the movie Rio.  They loved every second of it. 

I went to The Library of Congress to see Thomas Jefferson's book collection, the Main Reading Room, the childrens's reading room, etc, etc.  Then to the botanical garden, then to the American Indian museum and then to the American History Museum.  The kids thought I was crazy.  (A library and a garden???  No thanks!)  I thought it was heavenly.  I sat on a bench next to this statue of George Washington for a long time. 

I love you, George

I like this statue.  I sat next to a man who was holding what looked to be about a three-year-old girl who was totally spent and was curled into a little ball of rage and didn't want to move.  His wife and other daughter came up to him periodically and the wife would say, "Come on, I think you should look around," and he would shoot daggars at her face with his eyes and say, "I can't exactly do that right now," and the wife would say, "But we came here for you, if it was up to me we would have gone to the National Gallery," and I'm surprised he didn't jump up and slap her face.  I think if I would have slapped her and told her to shut her trap and move along, he would have half-heartedly said, "hey crazy, ...what are you doing, ...leave my wife alone," but then thanked me with his eyes when she ran off in a huff.   

Then I bought a book and went back to Amy's.  It was a good day.

Oh yeah, I forgot to blog yesterday after we got back from Mount Vernon.  I LOVED EVERY SECOND.  I think it is my favorite place in the world.  When I get my pictures downloaded I will write up a post all about it.