DC Trip - Day 2

***Text in this color authored by Shena***

Work & Play - Llano Update - Arellano Update (Combined again)
A quick something I forgot to mention in yesterday's blog...as we were crossing over 17th street to the West side of the street, we heard behind us some engines revving really fast, I turned around to look and saw two black suburbans flash past me going straight on "G" St., one of the windows in the back of the suburban was rolled down and there was an obvious secret service guy looking out the window, up at the rooftops above us. Then I noticed two more black suburbans coming out of the same place right behind the other two that went straight on G St., this time, these two took a right on 17th street. Both convoys were going pretty fast and in both convoys the trail car was practically attached to the bumper of the lead. Not sure who it was, but I'm sure it was somebody high enough up that they had a decoy convoy go out. Interesting experience.

Anyway, this monrning we got up and got ready to go out. I bought a couple of muffins and OJ from the coffee shop in the lobby for the kids and Shena to eat some breakfast. We left the hotel about 9:10 to head over to the temple. Lettie watched the boys at the visitor's center during the wedding. She said they were pretty good, but there were also some other kids there, so they all got in a little trouble for being too loud. It was ridiculously hot outside and of course the photographer wanted a group picture, so we had to all hang outside for a little while until he was ready for us. It was pretty hard on the kids (and me). Thankfully, Kristi and Chris were considerate enough to get the group picture taken as soon as possible so that the rest of us could go and do something else (like find some AC) until the luncheon. Shena and the boys and I decided to try to find a Wal-Mart of Circuit City so that we find a solution to our power situation for the DVD. We drove up and down US 29 for a couple of miles, but could only find a Radio Shack, which didn't have anything we needed. So we headed back to the restaurant where the luncheon was. We had lunch, which was excellent, then headed for home at about 3:00. I thought we would be ok as far as traffic goes...but I was very wrong. It started almost immediately, and we were in traffic for several hours...averaging maybe 30-35 mph. It made me grateful that I don't live in DC and grateful that I don't have to travel on the highway very much period. I like Greensboro just fine, thank you very much. We made a couple of stops on the way back, once for gas (and to walk around), and a second time to eat at Cracker Barrell in Henderson, NC. After we got back out to the car after eating, I went to start it and dad's Jeep wouldn't turn over at all. We tracked down some jumper cables from somebody in the restaurant, and the car would start, but it wouldn't stay running. Some good ol' boys who saw we were having problems came over and said that we needed a new battery for sure. Maybe it was their accent, but I took that as gospel and we immediately went to the nearest Wal-Mart (about 3 minutes away) and bought a new battery and some tools to change it. When we got back to the car, I was working on getting the first cable off the terminal when the light from the inside of the hood suddenly came on. We decided just for fun to give it another try, and Shena started it right up. So a 45 minute diversion could have taken about 3 minutes if I had just cleaned off the contacts a little bit and banged on the terminal some. We decided to put Cade and Kelson in with mom for the rest of the trip just in case the battery suddenly decided to quit on us again in the middle of the highway. We didn't want to get slammed into the back with the boys, so Lettie got to come and ride with us in the questionable car. We finally made it the rest of the way home without any more incidents at about 11:30 (8.5 hours after we left...normally about a 6 hour trip...tops). We were definitley ready for bed.

Christensen Update
None to report that I know of.

Daily Report
LAST NIGHT:
Sleep: 10:45 - 6:30 - I wanted to sleep later, but my back was hurting me...as it usually does sleeping in a hotel bed

TODAY:
Breakfast: none

Lunch: Mrs. K's Toll House - wild rice, green beans, scallops shrimp and pasta, a grilled chicken type dish with steamed vegetables, lemonade, and dessert was awesome...a pastry that went (from top to bottom) chocolate icing, white cake, custard, chocolate cake, chocolate creme, chocolate cake...very good.

Dinner: Cracker Barrell - "Momma's French Toast Breakfast" - french toast with spiced apples, scrambled eggs, sausage, milk