The thoroughly botched Inauguration stuff was not the only thing that happened during my solo trip to DC, even if it is the thing that will forever stick out the most in my mind. [I will say that all of the media coverage, especially on how bad the purple line suffered, makes me feel a smidge better. Both in a "misery loves company" way, and also to help alleviate the feeling that we could have somehow done better, left earlier, etc.] The rest of the trip had some good points, though to be honest, was not all that I hoped it would be.
I arrived much later in the day on Sunday than originally planned, which meant I basically lost that day to kick around, maybe go to the kickoff concert, etc. But traveling by myself with only carry-on luggage was really quite a liberating experience. Need to leave for the airport during naptime? No problem! (We had friends staying over who could stay at the house while the kids slept.) Security? Piece of cake! I was even able to watch live coverage of the concert on my little JetBlue TV. Of course, had I been on my original flight, I might have actually gone to the concert… but whatever. I missed the kids and M, but it was so lovely and easy to travel by myself.
Got in and managed to meet family and some of my dad’s friends for a tasty dinner at a Lebanese restaurant in DC. My siblings got into an event later that evening and sat right next to the stage where Maroon 5 performed, and saw a bored-looking Lindsay Lohan texting and sulking while her girlfriend DJ’ed (poorly). 
Me? I’m old. And I wasn’t staying in the city with them, but rather out at my dad’s friends’ house in Maryland. Didn’t see famous people, but instead hung out with friendly people and a cute dog in a warm house with a nice bed and free food. Score one for the old lady.
Monday was largely about obligatory events. My dad, stepmom and I drove in from Maryland mid-morning and had to fight our way over to the Congressional office buildings so he could pick up the two Blue section tickets he got from his congresswoman. Then it was off to an event for a bunch of Chicago kids who had volunteered on the campaigns and were lucky enough to come to DC. It was nice, and a former senator and congressman came to talk to them about legislating and political change. The students were smart and asked great questions.
We then had to show our faces for a few minutes at an IBEW open house (my dad and brother do a lot of work with labor unions), and then change clothes for a slightly fancier labor event. Saw Richard Schiff (Toby Ziegler!) and a few other TV personalities in the lobby, but that was about as exciting as it got.
After all of that, our group split up. My dad, stepmom and stepsister decided to stay in the condo (one bedroom, maybe 600 square feet, that all six of us were sharing that night) to rest up for Tuesday. My brother and sister-in-law met up with a friend in Georgetown to visit and pick up the Purple tickets (of doom). I struck out on my own and headed for the Dupont Circle metro station.
How very unusual, in so many ways. Out on my own. After 7:00 at night. In the city. Taking public transportation. Meeting friends for drinks! Even in my unmarried, slightly-more-urban days, I was a homebody. Now that we live in the suburbs with our two kids and their early bedtime and no babysitters… yeah. Let’s just say this was out of character.
But fun! There were mobs of people when I arrived in Chinatown. The old friends I was hoping to meet were delayed by a late nap from their kids and long drive in from Virginia. But no matter, I got to meet up with LauraC and her friend Heather! How fun was that! They were both awesome, and if Laura and I didn’t live a thousand miles apart, I can tell we’d totally hang out. 
And it’s a good thing the picture on her camera worked OK. Mine was focused between our heads on the wall 6 feet behind us. Doh!
My friends from Virginia arrived just as Laura and Heather were ready to call it a night, so we stayed in our booth ordering food and drinks and dessert until the unfathomable hour of 11:30! I decided I wanted to take a cab back to the condo, which was easier said than done, but eventually I made it back at midnight. The last one home, for once in my life! My brother couldn’t believe it.
What went down the next morning between 7AM and noon is well-documented. After the speeches were over and I called M on the phone… I burst into tears. I was so disappointed. I had come all this way and felt like I had missed out on the entire experience. I missed my kids. I just wanted to go home. I considered an early flight out of Dulles, but wasn’t sure I could make it there. My brother was in a pissy mood and being a bit of a jerk. The siblings decided to walk over to the parade and meet our parents, but I couldn’t bear (physically or emotionally) another long, chaotic walk and another few hours in the cold. I threw my stuff in my suitcase and met my friends at the Dupont Metro. We hopped the train to my friend’s mom’s house on the other side of the city and watched the parade on TV in her lovely house with a plate of spaghetti. It was honestly a few hours before I could stop fighting back tears. I was exhausted and mad and supremely disappointed.
But the good company and good food eventually lifted my spirits, and it was a nice bonus to be able to see my friends, their kids, and even their new (to me) house in Virginia. Their younger son is just two months younger than my kids, so it was a little therapeutic to be able to smooch his perfect little cheeks. Finally, after getting their kids to bed back at home and ordering some pizza, they dropped me off at a quiet Dulles for my slightly-delayed flight home. I dozed for most of it, woke up enough to get picked up by my sister-in-law, drop her off in the city, and drive home. It was after midnight, I gave M a kiss and a brief synopsis of the day, and collapsed into bed.
Am I glad I went? On the whole…. maybe. Sort of. There were some good parts. I suppose it’s better to “regret” something you did, than regret doing nothing at all. And I’m not sure that I exactly regret it. But overall, it was not what I had hoped it would be, I’m sorry to say. Ah well. It was an adventure, right?
