Does is seem to you like all I talk about is traveling here and there? Well, that's pretty much what we've been doing over the past couple of weeks and months. With Dick being retired and feeling better from surgery, we have taken several trips. I am happy to report that Dick is doing quite well. He still gets tired, but he doesn't have to take a very long nap. And, we walked all over Washington DC and saw a lot of great sites. We were both tired and needed our nap during the afternoon, but we did all right.
The first three days that we were in DC, it rained and rained, except for during the time we were walking around Williamsburg. But, it was cold and rained all the way back. We enjoyed ourselves anyway.
Billy didn't have to work on Friday, so he took us to see the National Archives, where the original Declaration of Independence and Constitutional are. It was very interesting seeing the real thing. Then, we went to the National Art Museum, which was wonderful. Beautiful art: Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Renoir, Monet, Vermeer, and many other really fine works of art. We then went to Ford's Theater, where President Lincoln was assassinated. We were told about the circumstances surrounding that night at the theater and saw the box where he and his wife were sitting. Here is a picture of the box. Lincoln's chair is the big one on the right.
We were able to have a nice lunch at the Garden Restaurant across from the National Art Museum. We took our picture by the sculpture of a giant eraser in the garden. Cool, huh.
We spent a couple of hours in the Air and Space Museum. The boys love to look at the airplanes and rockets, as well as the Wright Brothers first airplane. By the end of Friday, we were walked out and tired out, but Billy was a great guide and got us to all the places we needed to go. It was a good day.
On Saturday, we traveled 150 miles down to Williamsburg to visit this early colonial town. It rained a little going down and didn't rain while we were there. But, it rained like crazy going back to DC. Colonial Williamsburg was interesting, and there were several skits that portrayed how things were during the time it was in its prime. There were many places to visit and learn about history. Here, Billy and Dick are in the stocks outside of the courthouse. That seems like a good place to keep people from getting into trouble.
There was a nice fife and drum corp, which played several times throughout the day. It was made up of young men, probably high school or jr. high school age.
On Sunday, we went to Billy's church, but they were having stake conference, so we really didn't get to see the flavor of his ward. We did stay for conference and then went out to see my half brother, Kenneth Jensen, who is in a retirement center in Fairfax, VA. Ken was the second child of my father's first marriage. I haven't seen Ken in about 23 years, so it was nice to visit with him and his son, Charley. They treated us to a wonderful meal at the care facility, and we had a great visit. Ken is 88 years old. I'm so glad I got to see him again. Notice that there's not a lot of height in those three bodies.
Later that afternoon, Billy took us over to see his house. It was the first time we had seen it because Billy stayed with us every night at our hotel, because he had a friend who came to DC and needed a place to stay. So, Billy gave him his bed and spent the evenings with us. Here is his house,
and it is very nice. We were impressed. He can walk to work in about 25 minutes from where he lives.
Sunday evening, we toured some of the monuments: Iwo Jima, Franklin Roosevelt, and Jefferson. Below is the outside of the Jefferson Monument
Then, we drove about thirty minutes over to see the temple. This is not a good picture, but it is truly a beautiful temple that seems to stand in mid-air at night. We were able to visit the Visitor's Center.
On Monday, Billy had to go back to work, so Dick and I were on our own. We walked the mall and saw all the monuments. After a several hours of walking, we were tired and had to go back to our hotel for a nap. We must be getting old. We also learned to figure out and ride the metro, which brings back great memories of London.
Evie in front of the White House.
No one gets too close.
On our final day in Washington DC, we had a personalized tour by one of Billy's roommates, Joe Johnston. Joe works at the capitol, and he showed us lots of places where regular tours do not go. The capitol is truly an impressive building. There is much beautiful artwork inside. Joe did a great job and we enjoyed seeing how history is made.
The building below is the huge office building for the EPA, where Billy works. Our hotel was about a 15-minute walk to his office, so we went and visited. We were able to meet several of the people whom he works with. They were all very nice and seemed impressed that Billy's parents would come all the way from Utah to see where Billy worked. I think he really enjoys working there. His colleagues at the EPA said nice things about him. He knows most of the people from when he interned there a year ago.
Here's Billy in his office space. It's a nice setup for him. And, what's even nicer is that he got paid while we were there, and he was so happy to be getting a paycheck. Thanks, Bill, for a great tour of DC. We enjoyed being with you.
Today, Zackary Wood delivered an engagement band to Amy Brennan from Billy. Amy was in one of her classes at BYU. Billy had arranged with Tonya Harmon to go in and interrupt the class and have Zack come in with some flowers and the engagement band. Tonya was awesome. She started telling the students about the fact that there would be some changes in the MPA program and one of these would have a very long-term effect. (I thought she even got a little emotional.) Then, she said that she had someone there to help her with this presentation. In walked Zack in his Sunday best with a bow tie. He brought in the flowers and a note from Billy, as well as the engagement band in a box. He gave here the flowers and the envelop. Then, he got down on one knee and said: "Amy, Billy loves you very much, and he wants you to have this engagement band so that other guys won't try to take you out." It was something to that effect. The class gave him a round of applause. I think Amy was a little startled and wondered what was going on at first. She was a good sport. Below, Amy (on left) chats with Tonya Harmon (left) and Catherine Cooper (middle).
Later in the day, Jenny brought her kids over so that we could see their Halloween costumes. Spencer (next to me) was a paparatzi man, Ali was a glamour girl, Milly was a she-devil, and Zack was Captain Jack Sparrow. Then, there are the costumes of the other three of us. Aren't they great. 
Here is a picture of three sweet girls, Samantha, Jessie, and Allison Gatenby. They came over to see me today. They are my good little friends that I love very much. Tomorrow is Halloween, and we are leaving to go tend our grandchildren in Dallas, so we won't be here for Halloween. Thus, the visits from Jenny's kids and the Gatenby kids.
