"Head...Shoulders...Knees and...SOCKS!"

So according to the news outlets we still are a "nation in mourning." The District has been quite a buzz today. Overnight the city got a makeover - flags were hung along the Memorial Bridge, fencing was put up all along Constitution Avenue and around the Capitol. The thing that always gets me is seeing all the flags that circle around the base of the Washington Monument hanging at half-staff.

The big news for us federal employees was that we have off work on Friday (and schools and universities in DC are also closed). Rumors were floating around about whether or not we would be sent home from work early today as well. Everyone was encouraged to take the Metro if they came in, and it seemed as a lot did - the roads were pretty light. Because Constitution Avenue was shut down starting at 3 pm, a number of my colleagues did leave early so that they could pick up their kids from their daycare on the otherside of the Mall. If you look at a map of DC, you will see that Constitution is a major thoroughfare in the city, and it along with almost all the roads that cross the Mall were closed off. Not even pedestrians could cross the street. Also, two major bridges into/out of the city were going to be closed for the motorcade bringing the Reagans and the hearse into the city. Lucky for me I had no trouble leaving work and getting home. At work today, one of my colleagues compared today to September 11th - except this time we were better prepared as to how to get out of the city.

It was rather surreal to listen to "Reagan's Last Visit to Washington" on the local news radio station while I casually ran my evening errands - going to Trader Joe's, picking up the Child from daycare, dropping off one of his teachers at her home. I noted that the air was very hot and thick (it was in the 90s) and I couldn't imagine being one of those people that had been lining up outside since 6:30am to view Reagan at the Capital, or even standing along the caison's route up to the Hill. Seeing that everyone else around us was also moving around with the same casual air was also unusual. We watched some of the coverage on the news, and it was quite impressive to see all of this military pomp and circumstance. Spouse and I both are rather indifferent about Reagan's death, but you can't help but be impressed. This is a military display that we don't often see in this country, and that you may only will see once or twice in a lifetime. I probably won't watch the funeral on Friday, as I will be busy painting and "Clean Sweep"-ing the house. But it is certainly an event I will remember.