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So, I'm back from Philadelphia and Washington DC. And glad for it too. Too many damn people. Damn there were three times the number of people in all of Alaska right there on the National Mall. Besides the people I got a touch of the stomach flu on Monday. Yuck. But it was great to see both cities. I did get to see several of the museums but I missed the National Archives again. I enjoyed the Liberty Bell and felt my Public Defender batteries recharge just being that close to such a powerful symbol of freedom. The only frustrating part was going to the Italian Market and seeing what people there pay for meat and produce! I was reminded how expensive food is in Alaska. For just a few minutes I wondered what the hell I am doing here. But then I remembered that I don't have to pay any state or city income tax and it all evens out I guess. I stayed in Philly for a couple of days and returned to DC. I am sure you have heard all the stories from the news about the Inauguration. Here are two of my stories. Although I had a "blue" ticket, didn't let me get as close as I would have liked. At 7:30 a.m. I was the last person in line. The last. But although I could see people moving through security, the line was not moving! Tens of thousands of people starting arriving. And pushing. I was pushed into this giant crowd. For almost 5 hours I tried to make my way forward. I watched as those I had been standing in line with for hours move forward. It started to get ugly with a lot of 'booing'. It then became obvious that thousands and maybe tens of thousands of people would not get in at all. There was some poor planning at this event. There was a massive bum rush of security and for just a moment I was concerned about my safety. It was an interesting experience. As it was, I just made it in for Biden's swearing in but I know that thousands behind me did not get in. I was off to the side and could not see much but President Obama's arm moving. I did get to see President Bush leave for the last time and it felt good to shake my arm at him and tell him good riddance. Some people didn't like it when he was booed but I shook my fist and called him a son of a bitch and it felt great! My second story you probably didn't see in the news and it was the one that re-affirmed my belief in this country more than anything. After the Inauguration close to a million people started moving. Tens of thousands, and maybe hundreds of thousands of us were trying to cross Constitution Ave but the parade route was blocking us. We were shunted down to 18th. When we got there soldiers were letting empty tour buses go instead of letting the crowd cross Constitution. By the dozen these buses rolled by. The people waited and the crowd grew. And we waited. But then somone started yelling "let us go". And then thousands of people were yelling at the soldiers to let us go. Beside me was a old woman with a cane. She was waving it at the soldiers and demanded to go home. She was cold damnit! Within a minute the soldiers relented and we poured past them. Oh, I'll admit I welled up a few times during Obama's speeches. There were times I was proud to have come to this country again. There were times when I felt glad for my little girls. But when the crowd was yelling at soldiers to be let free, that was when I was most impressed with this country. Somehow I think America will be alright.

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