Post-Inaugural Update

So, Inauguration involved lots and lots of people in the Metro area. Mary's sister-in-law got three tickets from her Congressman, and ended up bringing one daughter with her to the shindig (the other ticket she returned for some other lucky soul). They came down Monday evening, and we got up early on Tuesday to take them over to the New Carrollton Metro stop. They needed to take the Blue or Orange Line in, so they could get to the proper side of the Mall for their single approved entrance.

We knew it was going to be a crowd when all the Metro garages were filling or already at capacity by 6:30 AM. The traffic started backing up onto Rt 50 Westbound, because of the Metro crowds. We zoomed back home to begin the watch, and to finalize our menu.

Breakfast was an all-American buffet of oatmeal with dried fruit, apple crumb cake, scrambled eggs with cheese, toast, and the choice of coffee or tea.

The news anchors were all reporting live from the Mall, and you could see crowds of people walking briskly by, to get to the security screenings and make it in before they closed (as was threatened). The morning went by in a blur, and the crowds built until there was a sea of people visible from the Capitol Dome camera.

We were spell-bound, and didn't budge, so our lunch was held post-Inauguration.

What did we end up selecting?

We stayed with the all-American menu, and made pepperoni pizza with the choice of beer, soda, or milk. Trail mix, pretzels, and fresh fruit were also offered, along with refills on the coffee/tea.

The afternoon went on, with live feeds of the lunching Inaugural legislators, and news updates. We were somewhat disappointed that the ex-presidential helicopter did not pass over us on its way to Andrews, as we'd hoped to offer one last salute.

The sister-in-law and daughter called to let us know they were finally cold enough to hit the Metro home, and would meet us in downtown (they took the Red Line home). Dinner was ordered from the local Chinese shop and delivered shortly, and we fed ourselves like a hungry horde. They headed out for home, while we watched some of the news and the live reports from the Inaugural Balls before conking out completely.

Waking the next morning and thinking "President Obama" was a lovely feeling.

Inauguration

We'll be "attending" Inauguration from the comforts of our house, since it's very likely to be extremely crowded on the Metro, extremely cold (although perhaps not as cold as yesterday), and we'll be able to eat our lunch while applauding.



The lunch menu is the tricky part. What should we dine on in honor of this historic occasion? Should we aim for a multi-cultural buffet of dishes that represent all the influences upon our country? Or should we go with the patriotic "red, white, and blue" theme? How about basic comfort food? Perhaps the traditional meal of Jews at Christmas (and other non-Jewish holidays), i.e., take-out Chinese? The All-American pizza and beer? Something new, that we've never tried before? Easy food in the slow cooker, so we can focus on the events unfolding before us?



Maybe we should just fast. Y'know, eat afterwards.



I want to hear President Obama's speech. I hope it will be like Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, in which he ended with these famous words:

" With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."


For more information on the best places to station yourself, see the Washington Post's insert in the Sunday Section.