Once we were satisfied that we had covered the cemeteries in town, we gave up on the notion that we were going to find any more of the Morgan family. So, we continued on with our trip to Boone.

It is far too easy to become accustomed to your surroundings, only to slip through life without appreciating the view. After three years of living in Washington, DC, the grandeur of the monuments, the White House, and even the US Capitol doesn't affect me like it once did. But somehow I just can't imagine a moment when my breath doesn't catch as my gaze sweeps across the magnificent view of the Appalachian mountains.

Our trip to North Carolina was filled gasps of awe and roadside frolicking. I asked Ryan to repeatedly pull-over so I could run around desperately clicking my camera in an ill-fated attempt to capture the giddiness that the mountains inspired. My most memorable day in NC was the day that we traveled between Asheville and Boone.

On Friday, August 8th, we woke up early to savor our last morning in Asheville. Since arriving two days earlier, we had faithfully followed the plan to sample as much local beer and local fare as possible (more on that later.) We were full. Oh, so full. We had a light breakfast in bed, spent a couple of hours exploring the city one last time, and then hit the road for Boone.

Typically, this trip would be a quick one. Not much more than an hour on the road. However, we took the opportunity to search for the resting place of Ryan's mother's family. The cemetery was located in a small town just outside of Asheville. The only problem was we didn't know exactly where. We knew the cemetery was beside a white church and on a hill, but we didn't realize just how many white churches and hills there were. Though Ryan is sure this isn't the one (the church wasn't white) the only cemetery that came close was this one:


It was the most brilliant day and the perfect place to be was up on the hill reading old headstones. I realize that may sound strange, but that's exactly how I felt. That and completely baffled by the number of young children that were buried there. Why was it so difficult for a child to survive in the the mid to late 1800s?

To be continued...

We are off to North Carolina for a week. I will be posting about our trip when we return.

The experience of riding the metrorail in DC depends greatly upon the time of day. Weekday mornings are typical; lots of suits and faces hidden behind newspapers, but most importantly, it is quiet. Morning metro riders share an unspoken understanding that we are silent on the ride to work. A lot like the rule of standing to right on the escalator, the rule of silence is all too often broken by tourists or groups of school children.

Weekday afternoons are typically quiet. Trains don't come very often and they are usually spotted with college students, mothers with small children, and the odd professional traveling from one site to another.

Rush hour, morning or evening, can be mad, especially if the trains are running behind. We pack in tightly, trying desperately not to touch one another, and uncomfortably sway with the stop and go of the train. I know many other cultures find it peculiar that Americans are so protective of personal space, and maybe we are a bit too squeamish, but I would rather keep the distance and wait for the next train, than to pack in like the commuters in Tokyo:

"In fact early morning rush hour gets so bad in Tokyo’s major central stations that a lot of them employ ‘pushmen’, armed with white gloves and the directive to make people fit in a carriage regardless of any sense of comfort or humanity."



My favorite time to travel on the metro is around 8 p.m.; rush hour is over and it is too early for the happy hour crowd to be stumbling home. The train is peppered with tired people traveling home after working late. It's quiet and we are all sympathetic to one another's general air of fatigue.

Late nights are completely different. Obviously, the later the hour the louder the train; on a weekends it often gets sloppy. Saturday night, after Ryan and I saw Batman: The Dark Knight, we were traveling from Bethesda to Friendship Heights. As we waited, we watched all sorts of people in various stages of intoxication. Our favorite was the girl picture below (though you can't see much of her.) Luckily, a kind stranger shook her awake as her train approached. She was completely out.



(quote and Tokyo photo from http://www.lo-la.co.uk/2008/05/08/train-tetris/#more-193)

It has been a busy summer! In early July Ryan and I drove from D.C. to Murray, Kentucky. Though our stay was too short, we managed to pack in the celebrations: July 4th, Dick's 71st birthday, and the marriage of Dick & Betsy.


The wedding ceremony by the lake.


The newlyweds.


Ryan on the lake at sunset. July 4, 2008.

As you can see, I am working on a slight redesign of the blog. Once I complete this, I plan to dive back into posting regularly. I believe my schedule is finally opening up. No more late nights and weekends at work. Thanks for your patience.

Ryan and I were so excited to spend the weekend with Amy, Andy, and Alex. We haven't seen them since Christmas and I was astounded at how much Alex has grown... and how fast he moves. Alex can easily stand and take several steps, but he must prefer the speed of crawling over teetering on unsteady feet; after just a couple steps, he drops back down to his knees and takes off.

Once everyone had relaxed after the long flight from California, we ventured up the street for some Mexican fare. Alex was so wonderful. He entertained himself for most of the evening by playing with spoons, tortilla chips, and straws. At one point, he was baffled by straw that went missing. It was hilarious.



Saturday was quite adventurous. To treat Alex's lingering ear infection that was triggering sickness, fatigue, and a high fever, we all took a trip to the ER. The hospital was quiet and very nice. They even had a special pediatric ER! With a little sleep and some antibiotics, Alex bounced back in no time.



The weekend was great, but flew by too fast. Now Ryan and I are planning our trip to California!