Daddy does something right

A few weekends ago, friends from Delaware came down. It was a good chance to roll into DC and see all that stuff I love. On Saturday morning, after hemming and hawing, half the group wanted to go and half stayed. Both sides were sure they were getting the sweet end of the deal.

I pulled out w/ the father and two boys, ages 11 and 9 (I guess), when my 5-year-old daughter came running out. I want to go w/ you, she said. Are you sure? Pleeeeeeease. So then it was five of us.

We hit the National Cathedral, molded gargoyles in clay and drew some, trekked the sanctuaries like a tourist in Paris, rolled up to the spires 8 stories high. My baby rolled her clay along one of the medieval window frames to get that Darth Vader helmet look on her gargoyle. It was sweet.

So we bolted, racing the afternoon shadows across the top of the District to Capitol Hill. In Adams Morgan, everyone needed a potty break and sandwiches. They had Sliced Apples in a Bag, and I knew my wife would be happy. A good snack. Hooray Daddy.

On The Hill, we got into the Library of Congress and saw the glory of the lobby, w/ the great authors names painted into a three-story high atrium. I swear John Grisham was scrawled in pen on the wall. I lifted my baby up to see the Great Reading Room. We bought a souvenir. On the way to the car, we all ran up the steps of the Supreme Court.

Back in Virginia, we stopped in and did a lap of the Iwo Jima Memorial. Terrific barbecue at home. Most excellent DC day.

Tucking in my daughter that night, I asked her what was her favorite part of the day. Was it the enormous round, stained glass window at the cathedral. No, daddy, she said, my favorite part of today was eating apples with you. She hugged and kissed me and went to sleep. Just. Like. That.

Even a blind nut finds a squirrel every once in a while. My favorite part was watching her make Darth Vader gargoyle.

Wave it wide and high

Gerry told me this story any father can relate to. He's got a buddy who lives in Great Falls. Naturally, that says the buddy has some coin, probably a sweet paying job and a family in a large house. Paying for that house takes some time, and the family will need some time, too. And the thing about Great Falls is, they've purged the strip malls and McDonald's.

If a Great Falls daddy wants to get some alone time, some see-the-other-daddies time, it's a long ride through farm country. What's a daddy to do?

Gerry's buddy has a flag pole on his yard, down by the curb. Not real big. No bigger than the other other flagpoles on the other daddies' lawns, up and down the street. When a Great Falls daddy sees he'll have some time later that night – kids are down, mommy's off to book club or a toy party *ndash; he raises his flag. Up and down the street, other daddies peek out their curtains and stick heads out their doors?

Flag flying? Party at 323238! Honey, I'll be home in an hour-and-a-half.

And you can call this song, the United States Blues.