Day 3 - National Day of Service

Monday, Martin Luther King Day, is a national day of service. So much of Obama’s message over the course of his campaign and the course of this weekend has been about being involved in change and service to your community and your country. My sister has been volunteering with the Saturday Environmental Academy for the past few months and she invited Bobby and I to join her and the group in a tree planting ceremony down near Anacostia Park in DC. We arrived via Metro and transferred to an old school bus outfitted as a tour bus (keep and eye out for the bunks in the ceiling) the driver was volunteering to shuttle people back and forth the 1.5 mile walk to the site.


On the ride home, we were told by a district official that all 44 trees (symbolic of the Presidential Inauguration) would likely die in the winter months to follow – she said she’s been to dozens of these ceremonies and it happens. I wondered why they had not instituted a trash pick up – there was certainly plenty of that around. Why plant something for the symbolism of it? What keeps coming to mind is another Obama-esque message – change takes time.

Here's a taste of the Metro on the night before the Inauguration:


We finally make it to Logan Circle, where our Inauguration homebase is located. Our night ends with ice cream (cold does not diminish the craving), jambalaya (little warming action going on), and a celebration. Our friends Allison and Mike had found us four additional tickets in the Silver section for the Inauguration! At the same time, Shelby's friend Candice had gotten three tickets to the Yellow section (closer and seated). It’s a given that 24 hours before the event happens, these tickets are flying around, all the extras are “released”. Here’s my sister talking to Allision about “getting the hook up”….


I fall asleep wedged between Bobby and Meagan on an air mattress. History will be made tomorrow.