Once we knew the date of the White House reception, I began making plans. We have very good friends in Pennsylvania who invited us to stay with them AND, get this, loaned us a car! So we flew into Harrisburg, which has rocking chairs in its airport!!

Here is what some of their area looks like: 

After recovering from a red-eye flight (Note to self:  NEVER do that again!) the next day we drove to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia to the home of our good friend and cabin neighbor (and partner in my book) Janey. The drive was so interesting to us. Just seeing signs along the freeway that mentioned Civil War battlegrounds was fascinating to these West-coasters! And the colors – this photo was taken at a rest stop!

I knew I would love Janey’s town from years of hearing about it. Sure enough – just look where she lives! (Please excuse the car in the way – parking is at such a premium in her neighborhood that we had to have a permit for our borrowed car and she had to negotiate with a construction crew for a place to put the car.) These homes were built in the late 1700s, and I was shamelessly and instantly in love with the whole place.

We got all gussied up, and Janey drove us to the White House.  To be continued. . .