Where Were You? 9/11

 

I was working at home with the news on. Watched the entire thing unfold while talking to my father about it on the phone. We were both in complete disbelief.  I can remember first thinking that it had to be some sort of gross air traffic error but then the second plane hit the tower  It became clear that this was no mistake. 

In the mean time, Terry and the girls were in Georgetown working and at school. They could see the smoke from the Pentagon just across and down the Potomac. 

It was all very surreal here in DC. The first reports of the issue at the Pentagon were that of a helicopter crash.  Comparatively no big deal as helicopters fly to and from the Pentagon all the time. It was a plausible reason for the fire and smoke. However, it soon became apparent that we were under attack, that the Pentagon "fire" was actually a 3rd plane, and even more worrisome, one plane was still missing. With Georgetown's proximity to other potential targets like Embassy Row and the Naval Observatory, I decided it was just time to get the family out of there and home together. I called Terry and pretty much told her to get the kids and come home.

Ironically, due to 9/11, today I wouldn't be able to do that because the schools would go into immediate lock down and not allow staff and students to leave. Not really sure how I feel about that. At the time, the most important thing to me was to get the family out of there as soon as possible.

 

In this day of remembrance it is not only important that we honor the hero’s in NY, DC, and PA, it’s also important that we never forget how that event made us feel that day and the impact it has had on every one of our individual lives since.    We can honor the fallen with memorials and ceremonies, but if we forget how 9/11 has changed all of our lives then we dishonor those who have given their all to help keep American safe and free; we will be bound to repeating the same mistakes that left us vulnerable 10 years ago today.  

Never Forget

What Did I Do on My Summer Vacation

For the first time in almost 22 years Terry and I spent almost the entire summer in the absence of children.  Amanda has moved from school in Pittsburgh across the state to a new job in Philly.  And between camp, vacations, and a trip to the beach with big sis, Caroline has been gone since just after school let out.  

So what did Terry and I do?   We dug deep into our youth and became groupies.  That’s right, we pretty much followed one of our local bands around from bar to bar dig’n the great music. Hang’n with old and making new friends. Basically, enjoying our new found freedom. 

On this particular night I brought along the camera equipment and shot a few for the band.  Pretty simple two flash setup; one on camera with a CTO gel to help warm things up and a remote flash with a blue gel to provide just a hint of color.  

Meet Chickenhawks Rock

     

Comfortably Numb

One day I hope to see Amanda design a light show like this. 

And, Amanda, who said the user of a crystal ball was out dated?  LOL

Thanks Paula for post this on Facebook. 

Ice Cream in the Cold

Caroline insisted on a stop at Ben and Jerry’s while we were in Gatlinburg.  Mind you it was in the mid 30s outside but we had to have our ice cream.

A Few From Biltmore

Spent over 12 hours today at Biltmore and we didn’t even touch the grounds.  We did the Architects and Butlers behind the scenes tour as well as the full house tour.  We also had a great lunch at the Stables Café and dinner at Deer Park.  At the end of the day we went back to the house to take a few night photos. 

It was a long day and my feet are killing me but we had a great time, especially Caroline.  We off to the Winery in the morning and then home. 

Caroline and the Smoky Mountains

Twelve years ago we took Amanda on a trip to Asheville, NC and the Smoky Mountains. That year the area was slammed with a huge snow storm while we were there.   Although the snow presented some challenges we had a wonderful time.

Fast forward to today and we’re back with Caroline around the same time and once again in the mitts of another big snow.  Today we made the trip from Gatlinburg, TN over the mountain to Caroline’s name sake, Asheville, NC.  Just as it was 12 years ago, the drive was fantastic and provided several photographic moments. 

Tomorrow we do Biltmore which is certain to provide more photographic moments. 

D.C.F.D. to the Rescue

Although the air temp and humidity was very comfortable for a late August day in DC, the sun was still a scorcher this past Saturday.  As we were leaving the Mall near the WWII Memorial the District fire department had this truck setup as an industrial strength sprinkler system.  Kids and adults alike enjoyed themselves as they ran through the water and cooled off.

 

Restoring Honor Rally

August 28, 2010

Spent the better part of the day yesterday on the National Mall at the Restoring Honor Rally.  We, Terry Caroline and I, had the privilege of spending several hours with some of the nicest, courteous, proudest, and patriotic folks I’ve ever had the privilege of being around.  It was a very enjoyable day and quite uplifting from what I was able to hear, as we walked all the way around the reflecting pool and Lincoln Memorial photographing the event.  The only aggravating part of the day was coming home and reading the liberal press.  “Thousands come to the mall for Glenn Back Rally”  Thousands?  Really?  what rally was the press covering? The Al Sharpton rally?  There were at least a few more than thousands in my humble opinions. You look at the photos and you decide.

Arriving on the mall around 10am.  The rally is on the other side of the Monument grounds.

Love this kid!!!

The crowd at 10am; is this what the AP calls ‘Thousands’?  Shot from the grounds of the monument.

Just relaxing under a tree.

Even good ol’ Abe was at the rally.

If this is his thing than it’s ok by me.  It’s called respecting others beliefs.

The guy has a point.  Don’t think it will happen but its a good point none the less.

Does this shot look familiar?  How many were at the rally in ‘63? This was shot at 11am from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Again I ask you, ‘thousands’? It’s somewhat difficult to see but the crowd fills in both sides of the Reflecting Pool into the trees and across the pathway that runs on the other side of the trees.  To the left is the Vietnam memorial and to the right the Korean.  You couldn’t even get to the Korean for the people and the crowd extended to the grounds of the Vietnam Memorial.  Looking to the Washington Monument the crowd fills in the entire WWII memorial grounds, crosses the street and runs up the Monument grounds just about to the Monument itself. 

Ok now here’s the only fringe group we found all day.  This group has protested Obama before, once reported on CNN during the 2008 campaign.  The surrounding crowd politely asked them to move on as this was not the type of rally for protesting or politics.  

Eventually, the Park Police moved in and the group moved on.  They were very respectful to the policemen and respectfully acknowledged the regulations restricting such protests on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  I thought for sure I was going to see some of the violence promised to me by the liberals but it was not to happen.

An impromptu tribute to the late Martin Luther King.

Some proud flag waivers.  These flags were all around the area, state, and US alike, along with a few Gadsden flags and even a couple Join or Die flags.

Abe brought along his friend George.

Jesus meets Colonel Washington? I knew Glenn was religious but this takes the cake.  ;-) 

Love this shot even if I have to say so myself.

Dude!!!  Love the shirt!!!  Must really piss off your progressives friends.

What’s with the funny hats? 

Yet another shot of the ‘thousands’ of people.

I’m not sure Glenn, the Tea Partiers, or any other conservative would use such violent a term as ‘Declare Eternal Hostility’ but if she added the word Marxism and used the word END I’m sure she’d get Becks full support.  

And what’s up with this dude?  Doesn’t he know he looks foolish?  Is there some discriminating message in his dress about the people who attended the rally?  Isn’t this the sort of behavior the left calls hateful? And why so crude?  I thought the liberals were supposed to be the cerebral thinking type.

Both these liberal protesters where just outside the WWII grounds. Apparently they didn’t get the message that the rally wasn’t a political one.  Frankly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to protest a rally fostering Hope, Charity, Faith and Honor. 

Caroline enjoying a nice bottle of water. 

Crowd at the end of the rally around 1pm, shot from the street between the Washington Monument and the WWII monument. 

Just a cool shot of the subway system at Farragut West on the way home. 

 

You can watch the rally in its entirety here