My Broken Thumb

Drat that big heavy door into the National Archives! I caught my thumb in it yesterday and broke it. Both Glenda and I heard it crack and I knew immediately what had happened. It was actually numb for a couple of minutes, and then the throbbing started and I got light-headed. I had to sit with my head between my legs for about 20 minutes, but then we continued on through the museum to see the original Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I even managed to get a few pictures. But as soon as we were done with that, we headed back to the car for ice from the ice chest and a pain pill. Luckily I had taken my narcotic pain meds with me in case I got another back ache. I sure needed it for this. Since it broke between the knuckle and the tip, it doesn’t appear to need setting. I think it’s just going to be like a broken toe that will have to heal by itself while I favor it for a few weeks. It could have been worse. At least it wasn’t my ankle so I can still walk. At least it was my left one so I can still type. And it wasn’t in a place that required a trip to the emergency room and a cast. So I feel quite lucky!

But let me catch up on our travels. Since my last entry, Glenda and I have been to New York City and Washington D.C. We stayed in Trenton, NJ the night after we saw Philly and took the train back up to NYC. There we did the double decker bus tour I mentioned in the last blog. It was great, and NYC has definitely changed since I was there last in 1991. The tour guide told us that in 1993 Rudy Gulianni cleaned up the city. You can really tell. It was a different place, and I was so glad we went and we saw so much. I posted pictures the other night, so check the gallery if you haven’t already.

Yesterday we drove down to D.C. and saw the monuments and memorials on the Mall, the White House, the Capital, and the National Archives (with that heavy door), plus the Presidential motorcade whizzed past when we were least expecting it. As soon as we figured out what it was, we grabbed our cameras and snapped a few pictures, but you will have to be told what you are looking at or you couldn’t tell.

This morning we went to Arlington Cemetery. What a beautiful place. We got some great pictures there. This afternoon Glenda and I split up to go to the Smithsonian. Glenda wanted to see the Art Museum and I preferred the Natural History and Aerospace Museums. When we reconnected, we had exciting recaps to give each other. Tomorrow we’re going to spend the day in the Museum of American History. That’s the biggest and best, and definitely the one where you need a full day.

Our plight of getting lost several times a day has continued. But now we have figured out that it’s best if Glenda drives and I navigate. She reads the road signs better and I read the map better. It only took us 8 days to figure it out, so from here south we should have it made in the shade.

Last night we were in a roach infested EconoLodge, so tonight we treated ourselves to our most expensive hotel yet. We are feeling pampered in our room tonight, and ready to hit the sack.